Inner Demons
by livezinshadowz
Summary: AU. When Utakata discovers that Yagura's being manipulated by Akatsuki, he flees the Hidden Mist with the goal to save himself and his only friend. His solution? Find the other Jinchūriki and convince them to join his fight. But the Jinchūriki have more baggage than just the Bijū they contain, and if they can't create a cohesive unit from broken recluses, they may all be dead.
1. The Slug's Escape

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Naruto_.

-l-l-l-

_As a child with a growing aptitude for the shinobi arts, it became a habit for Utakata to sneak out of the compound belonging to Kirigakure's bubble-users and simply explore the outside world. Harusame didn't like him being out – a consequence of being the Jinchūriki to the Six-Tailed Slug, most likely – and it was within the nature of children to be curious about that which they were prohibited. The grey stone walls of his living quarters were as much a prison to his inquisitiveness as they were to his body._

_It was an expedition to one of the Land of Water's many inland lakes that eight-year-old Utakata met the Hidden Mist's other Jinchūriki._

_The other boy was shorter than him, with messy grey hair that blended into the fog prevalent throughout the Hidden Mist. Just by the boy's physique, Utakata guessed himself to be older, but there was a rigidity in his stature that was unbecoming of someone so young. "I know you're there," the boy said, startling the Six-Tails' Jinchūriki. His voice was soft but matter-of-fact, carrying only the barest inflection. _

_Surprised and curious – there shouldn't have been a way for this younger stranger to notice him from his hiding spot – he approached the shorter boy and sat down beside him. His too-large kimono served as a makeshift blanket for him to sprawl upon. "How'd you do that? Know I was there?" he clarified when the boy didn't respond right away._

_"Isobu told me."_

_"Isobu?"_

_The boy nodded. "The Sanbi."_

_Utakata gaped. "You're a Jinchūriki?"_

_"Mm." He appeared pensive, pupil-less pink eyes finally acknowledging the brown-haired boy. A long, stitch-like scar trailed to his jawline from beneath his left eye, giving him the appearance of having undergone facial surgery that had never healed. "So are you…Rokubi __Jinchūriki__."_

_"How'd you know that?" he asked, taken aback by the boy's strange perceptiveness. "Isobu again?"_

_The boy returned to staring across the lake. "Isobu and I are on good terms. He's the closest thing I have to a friend." There was a long pause in which Utakata was unable to find the words to mask his surprise, and the boy continued, "Also, you gave yourself away by admitting you know what a __Jinchūriki is. I have no peers who comprehend the concept." He directed his gaze elsewhere, as if hearing something no one else did. "I__ have to go."_

_As the grey-haired boy turned to leave, Utakata reached out a hand as if to grab him, a hundred questions fumbling for control of his mouth. The other Jinchūriki stopped, recognizing the attempt for his attention, and the older boy finally managed to ask, "What's your name?"_

_"Yagura," came the reply in that same soft voice, and then Utakata watched him disappear into the mist._

-l-l-l-

Utakata fled.

Unlike most renegades, who typically ran on foot, the brunet was floating in a large bubble camouflaged to blend precisely with his surroundings: the open sky. He was immensely thankful for the calm, if chilly and overcast, climate that pervaded the Land of Water; it made his escape from Kirigakure easier and gave him plenty of time to think, time which he desperately needed to organize the chaos of his mind.

Part of it was related to who he was – or more specifically, what he contained – but the other part was based on his very abrupt decision to leave the Hidden Mist. He needed to put as much distance between himself and the village as possible to get ahead of the hunter-nin who were sure to be sent after him. It was better to make their inevitable chase as difficult as possible, especially considering he already stood out far too much for his own liking.

While he knew it was smarter to abandon the cornflower blue kimono which distinguished him as one of Kiri's rare bubble-users, it and his black sweatpants were the only clothing that could withstand the Six-Tails' 'gift', the physical marker each Jinchūriki possessed in some form. The orange strips woven into the hems of the kimono's billowing sleeves and the orange sash cinched around his waist denoted him as a journeyman, one step below the red-sashed masters.

Not that he ever would have reached that stage even if he had stayed in Kiri. Despite how rare it was for a Kiri-nin to possess an affinity for bubble-line ninjutsu, Utakata's status as the Rokubi Jinchūriki precluded him from ever rising to such a prestigious position. People feared the fallout of having a second Jinchūriki in a position of authority.

Never mind that, throughout his entire life, Utakata had never harbored a grudge against his village. Fear of the Six-Tailed Slug within him, and the Three-Tailed Demon Turtle within Yagura, seemed to override rationality, deluding people into a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Saiken, as the demonic gastropod had introduced himself, had been in Kirigakure's possession for nearly half a century, and Utakata was only his second Jinchūriki. The original host – a man whose name Utakata had never known because he had died when the Bijū's resealing had taken place – had discovered a talent for the then-unknown branch of Suiton ninjutsu and had eventually taken the fighting style to its peak, even starting the special training for those with the bubble-line affinity.

Like his predecessor, Utakata excelled at the manipulation of bubbles, earning his official place among the bubble-users years ahead of the other shinobi. Unlike the ninjutsu's human originator, however, the brunet had grown up in a time when Kiri was recovering from an assault by its other captive Bijū, the Three-Tailed Demon Turtle, and there was a new stigma to hosting one of the Tailed Beasts.

That Yagura was both the Sanbi Jinchūriki and the Mizukage would probably have worked in his favor if the grey-haired boy had remained as soft-spoken and benevolent as he had in their youth.

At least now he had an explanation for why his friend had changed so drastically.

_Utakata's head broke the water's surface. The cavernous hideout was supposed to be known only to the Mizukage and the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen, but Utakata knew of its existence courtesy of Saiken; the cave, ironically, had been the giant slug's home prior to his capture by a young Kirigakure decades ago._

_Utakata preferred the cold dankness of his prisoner's former home to the stone pathways of the bubble-users' compound, where the chill in the air always seemed amplified by the other occupants' silent disdain. Visiting also gave him the sole semblance of a connection to his father, the former wielder of the twin thunderswords Kiba, who had perished during the Sanbi's attack when Utakata was only two years old. Sometimes the brunet liked to imagine his father grinning at the other Swordsmen, sharp teeth bared in a smirk, feet propped lazily on the circular table they conferred around._

_Voices reached Utakata's ears, and he hunkered down in a nearby corner, apprehensive of being caught by whoever was in the cave. Kiri's ninja, particularly the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen, were not known for their compassion or understanding, and he preferred not having to explain himself._

_When his blood finally stopped pounding in his ears, the conversation he was inadvertently eavesdropping upon became clear._

_"Apparently," intoned a young yet apathetic voice all too familiar to the brunet; Yagura rarely sounded like he was interested in anything anymore, "Kumogakure possesses both the Nibi and the Hachibi." There was a muffled sound, the impact of something heavy hitting something soft. Utakata guessed someone had just hit someone else._

_"How reliable is that information?" asked another person, the voice striking both a chord of familiarity and a sliver of fear within Utakata. The reputations of the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen, alive or dead, loyal or not, preceded them._

_"You should know better than to doubt my methods, Kisame," replied a deep voice. The Rokubi Jinchūriki couldn't repress the shudder that ran through his body of its own accord, the malice in the man's tone seeming to reverberate and amplify in the cavern. "There are no secrets from these eyes."_

_"Heh, so you decided to actually show up this time, eh?" Kisame noted mockingly._

_"Some things are best tended to in person."_

_"What's the plan, then, Mizukage-sama?" the swordsman drawled, placing sarcastic emphasis upon the title._

_Utakata was surprised to hear the third man speak instead of Yagura. "Nothing for now. We're still too unprepared to deal with this new information." There was a brief pause before he continued, "In the short-term, I think that it will be best if you pretend to stage a coup against Yagura so that you can work full-time for Akatsuki."_

_"Khe heh heh, as you wish, Mizukage-sama. This place was gettin' kinda boring anyway. What're you plannin' to do next?"_

_"Yagura has proven to be a convenient puppet. I'll stay here to keep my influence over him and continue to use Kirigakure's resources for our benefit. Surviving your coup attempt will further cement our control here."_

_Utakata reeled at those words, his body slackening in shock. Yagura, the leader of the Hidden Mist, the only other person in the village who understood the burden of being a Jinchūriki, his _friend_, was being controlled by some stranger who was dangerous and most decidedly ill-intentioned. Distracted, he nearly missed the man continuing, "Besides, it'll be much easier to monitor the Sanbi and Rokubi from here, and possibly discover the locations of the remaining Jinchūriki in the meantime. I trust that you'll monitor Akatsuki's progress in my stead and report back to me. It may be awhile yet until we're ready to extract the Bijū, but I am a patient man, and I will wait however long is necessary to see our world realized."_

_The phrase 'extract the Bijū' echoed in the recesses of Utakata's blank mind, filling every nook and cranny. He didn't know for what purpose Kisame and his partner sought the Bijū, but extracting them would have only one result: the deaths of the two Mist Jinchūriki._

_Cautiously, so that his presence would continue to go unnoticed by those who plotted his demise, he edged backwards to the water. Calling upon Saiken's chakra, he readied himself for the arduous swim ahead; the alkaline properties of the Rokubi's power coating his skin would make his transition from land to water seamless._

_Gurgling resonated from deeper in the cave, and Kisame's voice mused, "Hm? Seems like Samehada senses something…"_

_Utakata took that as his cue, slipping into the water as fluidly as an eel and sluicing desperately through it for the surface. _

With miles between himself and the Hidden Mist, his bubble floating over the ocean separating the Land of Water from the eastern shore of the Land of Fire, the Rokubi Jinchūriki could finally consider his situation with a clearer head. The talk between Kisame and the unknown man had revealed the danger of remaining within his own nation. Beyond that, if mention of the Nibi and Hachibi was any indication, Utakata could safely extrapolate that _all_ the Jinchūriki were in trouble, not just him and Yagura.

Not that any of them were as important to him as the Mizukage, but it _was_ interesting.

Unfortunately, despite his desire to rescue Yagura from the clutches of the unknown man, he knew he had nowhere near the strength required to do so. Kisame, apparently, was at the man's disposal, and the swordsman was one of the strongest inhabitants in the whole of the Hidden Mist. Not that he was even needed; if the unknown man was powerful enough to manipulate the _Mizukage_, host of a Bijū, then he was clearly more than capable of fending for himself.

Hence the golden-eyed boy's flight from Kirigakure. He had no doubt that his status as a Jinchūriki – and thus a valuable asset to the island nation, if not to the evil man – meant that he would be hunted by the oinin as soon as his absence was noticed.

_So I need to avoid the oinin while training_ _to get on Kisame's level. Then I _might_ have a chance of freeing Yagura from…whoever's controlling him._

He hung his head, morbidly grateful that the despondence weighing him down didn't affect his Drifting Bubble Technique. _Easier said than done. _In spite of his young age, Utakata was a skilled Jōnin, but Kisame was in a league of his own, and training while on the run sounded complex.

Utakata sighed. _I need help._

Even admitting that to an audience of himself was painful. Utakata was used to doing things on his own, to finding contentment in solitude, especially after Yagura had become Mizukage, and the idea of finding aid for this mission seemed both impossible and unnatural. Sadly, the pragmatist within knew that he would never survive the challenges ahead without assistance.

Conveniently, those who might be most receptive to aiding him would simultaneously help thwart the plans of the unknown man manipulating his friend.

The other Jinchūriki.

In theory, the remaining demon containers would have enough power to overcome whatever obstacles he would have to face on his journey to rescue Yagura. Not only that, but they needed to be warned that they were in peril from a group comprised of what he could safely assumed to be immensely powerful shinobi. _What was that group's name? Uhh…Akatsuki, I think? That sounds about right…_

Regardless, in a perfect world, he could convince the other Jinchūriki to join him on his quest and they could fight the threat together, watch the others' backs, and ultimately save Yagura.

_As likely as _that_ is…_ Utakata knew the idea was a long-shot even as it came to mind, but his options were limited, and no other reasonable alternatives were coming to mind. They were the only individuals he thought he had a marginal chance of convincing to join his crusade; self-preservation was a strong motivation, after all.

Either way, that plan depended on actually _finding_ the other Jinchūriki, which was no mean feat. Hidden Villages were cagey with their secrets under the best of circumstances; trying to locate their human weapons would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. _Yagura's in Kiri for the foreseeable future, and the Nibi and Hachibi are in Kumo,_ he mused, ticking off his fingers for each accounted Biju. Unfortunately, Kumo's rather militant tendencies coupled with alliances made during the Shinobi World Wars – Kiri with Konoha, and thus against Kumo – meant that Utakata would not be warmly welcomed in the Village Hidden in Clouds, or even in the Land of Lightning as a whole, fugitive or not.

Another sigh. _So that leaves…what exactly? _Momentarily stumped by his lack of knowledge, he wracked his brain for some clue he'd overlooked until the story of the Kyūbi no Yōko came to mind. Harusame's world history lessons had never seemed more relevant than in that moment, and he tried to recall every detail he'd been taught.

The Nine-Tailed Demon Fox had rampaged through the Hidden Leaf a little over a decade ago, appearing seemingly from nowhere. It seemed to be generally accepted as fact that the Fourth Hokage had ultimately sacrificed himself to kill it, but Utakata knew he could discount that as a rumor. Thanks to the Rokubi, the bubble-user had access to information other people didn't.

For a start, a Bijū could not simply be _killed_ by a mere human. Aside from harnessing the power of the Bijū for mankind's own purpose, it was the main reason Jinchūriki had come into existence in the first place, and one of the chief reasons the Bijū were commonly taken from their older hosts and resealed into younger ones. Unless some masterful strides in sealing techniques had come about over a decade ago, or some convoluted geopolitics were at play, there was only one possible conclusion.

Konoha had a Jinchūriki, a jail for the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox it didn't want the rest of the world to know about.

He took a moment to muse over that revelation. If the Hidden Mist, Leaf, and Cloud Villages all had Jinchūriki, it was probably safe to assume that the other two Five Great Shinobi Nations – the Hidden Rock and Sand – had at least one Jinchūriki as well. It wouldn't do for three of the five Great Nations to have a Tailed Beast and the other two to not. Besides, with the One-, Four-, Five-, and Seven-Tails unaccounted for, Utakata was almost guaranteed to find at least one of them within Iwa or Suna.

Still, the Hidden Leaf was closer and rumored to be more tolerant than any of the other villages, not to mention that the Kyūbi, with the most tails, was likely to prove most beneficial to his cause.

His decision was made. _To Konoha it is._

-l-l-l-

_Why do things never seem to work for me?_ Utakata thought with an annoyed scowl as a stream of water popped his Drifting Bubble Technique_._ His former life in Kirigakure was proof of that.

Though his mother had died in childbirth, his father's status as one of the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen meant that Utakata was a child of interest to the Hidden Mist's hierarchy. Unfortunately, that status, and his father's death, had made him ripe for consideration when the first Rokubi Jinchūriki had sustained a lethal injury in the Sanbi's assault on Kiri.

The brown-haired boy had long ago accepted that, logically, the decision had been a sound one, though it hadn't stopped him from growing up disillusioned with his role in the Hidden Mist. He'd possessed such potential, the legacy to become another of Kiri's kenjutsu masters in his blood…

But becoming a Jinchūriki had stripped him of that opportunity, and Utakata had instead received the distinct impression that he didn't belong. When he'd eventually brought up the bubble-users' strange treatment of him with Saiken, the slug had spoken of their deference for the original Rokubi Jinchūriki, further confusing the brunet. Their contrasting distaste of him had only isolated him further in a village already disinclined to form attachments.

Utakata could understand their reverence for the man who had started and inspired an entire sect of shinobi. He could appreciate it better if he'd been granted even a modicum of the same decorum. Scorn, he had learned from life experience, was not unfamiliar to Jinchūriki.

Of course, it probably hadn't helped that it had taken a number of years to understand and control Saiken's unwanted 'gift', with interactions in the interim having…interesting results. That he'd been stuck wearing the man's specially-made clothes to help contain said gift probably didn't endear them to him either, painting him as a wolf in sheep's clothes.

As a child, a small part of Utakata had always hoped that the bubble-users would eventually accept him, but when it became apparent that his master Harusame was the only one who would give him the time of day, that hope faded with his youth. Their apathy was marginally better than the slanted looks and snide whispers the rest of the Hidden Mist's population graced him with; the Sanbi's attack had, unsurprisingly, left an unfavorable impression of the Bijū and those associated with them.

The one saving grace of his life had been his early friendship with Yagura…

Not that he thought he deserved that anymore. A better friend would have found a way to stop the mistakes of his fellow demon container: the Bloodline Purges and divisive civil war, the fragmentation of the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen, the continuation of the barbaric Academy graduation ceremony…

And now Utakata knew _why_ everything had gone so terribly wrong, why their friendship had faded upon the younger boy's ascension to Mizukage: Yagura was being manipulated. The uncharacteristic, merciless orders Yagura had given while acting as the Yondaime had been in stark contrast to the quiet, gentle child the brunet had befriended.

Now that he knew Yagura hadn't really been behind any of those orders, it felt like a weight had been lifted off his chest. His friend hadn't really changed at all. The knowledge didn't assuage the guilt he felt at letting his friend be manipulated – his inability to get close to the Mizukage notwithstanding – but now he had a chance to rectify his mistakes and change both their futures.

His friend was in trouble, and the bubble-user would do everything he could to protect him, no matter how difficult the situation he got himself into turned out to be.

Which brought Utakata back to his original thought that things never really worked out for him.

He fell gracefully through the Land of Fire's canopy, noting the quartet of hunter-nin arrayed below him. _It's only been a day, _he groused. Yagura – or the mysterious man controlling him – had (unsurprisingly) dispatched the oinin to track him down and subdue him.

They likely hoped the fall would debilitate him, but Utakata reacted quickly, pulling out his bamboo bubble blower and unleashing a stream of bubbles he used as stepping stones to reach the forest floor, kimono billowing out at his back. _Suiton: Hōmatsu no Jutsu!_ he thought upon landing, twisting on the balls of his feet. Innumerable bubbles flowed from the bamboo weapon, creating a wall of translucent spheres between him and the Mist shinobi. With a snap of his fingers, the bubbles exploded into a thick smokescreen that pervaded the immediate vicinity. _Time to make my escape._

A whip of water lashed around his wrist, and golden eyes went wide. _Stupid! Of course they'd bring a sensor! You're distracted._ He focused on the joint, releasing the chakra there that he'd trained to act as a second skin.

The thin whip touching his wrist disintegrated, his skin's natural acidity dissolving the fluid restraint enough to wrench his limb free. Unrestrained, Utakata immediately brought his blower to his lips again and expelled another slew of bubbles. They popped under an incoming hail of senbon, bursting into sticky green slime that captured the needles and gummed up the surrounding forest.

Utakata took advantage of the momentary respite and fled on foot, no destination in mind except away.

The Jinchūriki's mind raced as fast as his body, every move performed automatically to give him freedom to think. Whatever sensor they'd brought along was likely to pose a _significant _problem for his escape.

If the oinin followed him, they would know that his destination was Konoha. He'd have to switch strategies, at least temporarily, and simply make it look like he was putting as much distance between himself and the Land of Water as possible instead of having a specific destination in mind. Once he was sure he'd lost them, he could double back to the Hidden Leaf.

He angled northwest into the Land of Fire, hindered slightly by the unfamiliar terrain. It would only get worse as he kept moving, and a ninja wasn't good unless he could adapt.

He was dead otherwise.

-l-l-l-

"Nnn…"

Consciousness returned slowly, though not without consequence. A painful throbbing boomed in his head.

"Oh, Tonbee, I think he's waking up!"

Golden eyes snapped open, and Utakata sat up, the sheet pulled over him crumpling at his waist. His back ached, and when his hand instinctively flew to soothe it, a sharper pain flared in his shoulder. _Shit…_

"Please, you shouldn't move too much."

The Jinchūriki focused on the girl kneeling beside him, wavy blonde hair framing concerned green eyes. In the doorway behind her stood an older gentleman in his sixties, by the brunet's guess. "What—" he tried, but the remaining words seemed stuck in his throat, dry from disuse.

"Here's some water," the girl offered.

Utakata gulped the liquid down. The older man, Tonbee, stepped into the room and over to the brunet. He looked as if he wanted to push the Jōnin down into the futon, but something was stopping him. "You should rest. You'll be safe here. It's the least I can promise for rescuing Hotaru-sama from those shinobi."

_Rescue…her?_ A frown settled over Utakata's lips as he reclined, his initial panic assuaged. That didn't sound like him, especially given his fugitive status. _What happened?_ he wondered as his eyes closed.

_"Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu!"_

_Utakata's yelp of commingled surprise and pain turned into a gurgle as the Water Dragon Bullet Technique slammed into him and drove him against a tree. A knot dug into his back, and a low branch pierced his right shoulder from the force of the attack._

_With his dominant arm out of commission, the renegade fumbled for the bubble blower tucked into his waistband. Before he could reach it, a long length of wire spooled around him from behind, trapping him against the tree trunk. A mild electrical shock coursed along the metal, momentarily paralyzing him before he could move. _

_"Taichō, we've got him."_

_Utakata looked up at the shinobi who'd spoken, furious gold glaring at a porcelain mask. _We'll see… _he thought, preparing to release the chakra holding the Rokubi's gift at bay._

_"Suiton: Mizurappa."_

_Utakata gagged on the Wild Water Wave, brown hair hanging lank in his eyes. "Keep him wet," ordered another oinin. "Otherwise he'll escape again before taichō gets here."_

Someone knows what he's doing_. _Saiken?

_One moment._

_"What are you carrying?"_

_"Some girl. She was in the way when I was getting set up."_

_Utakata tilted his head to get a better look, finding the second oinin carrying someone with a head of blonde hair under his arm. The two Mist shinobi seemed distracted by their conversation, so the Jinchūriki again prompted, _Saiken?

_The Rokubi's red-orange chakra oozed from his pores, melting through the wire and the trunk at his back, eliciting surprised shouts from the pair of Kiri-nin. He fell backwards, dodging the water jutsu that flew in his direction. Bubbles dribbled off his chakra cloak and floated towards the hunters, each one carrying a greenish tinge. Both Mist shinobi countered with more water, and Utakata expelled his own sickly-looking Mizurappa. Where the two techniques collided, cascading droplets ate away at the forest floor's detritus._

_More bubbles floated off his body, adding to the plethora surrounding the pair of Kiri-nin. They summoned a torrent of water that crashed into the Jinchūriki just as the brunet snapped his fingers. The bubbles exploded, acid spilling over the pair while the Great Waterfall Technique washed Utakata away, diluting the Six-Tails' acidic chakra._

_Drained by the sudden loss of Saiken's strength, Utakata lay prone on the forest floor, distantly aware of a blonde-haired body beginning to get up from where it had been tossed away during his attack._

_Then there was nothing but darkness._

Utakata awoke with a jolt, breathing shallow. He sat up slowly and brought a hand to his head, wincing as his shoulder protested the motion. Quiet snuffling nearby drew his attention to the now-familiar head of blonde hair, the girl – Hotaru, he recalled – asleep beside his bed.

Gingerly this time, he stretched his good arm across his body to check his wounded shoulder. Frayed pieces of bandages lingered around the area where the tree branch had pierced.

"We tried to wrap your injury—" Utakata started at the gruff voice, turning to see Tonbee walking through the doorway, "—but every time we tried, the bandages dissolved." When he was close enough, he presented his hands to the brunet, burn marks marring weathered skin.

"I'm sorry about that," he offered quietly. "My ability…it's not intentional. I can't control it when I'm unconscious. It should be safe now."

Tonbee knelt beside him, dipping a fresh towel in the bowl of water by his bed and using it to wash the blood from the Jinchūriki's back. Utakata flinched away from his touch. The older man furrowed his brow. "Does that hurt?"

Utakata decided that pain was a believable excuse. "…Yes…"

Tonbee nodded, as if understanding the teenager's reticence. "Ah, I see." There was a long pause before he continued, "I wish to offer you my sincerest gratitude for protecting Hotaru-sama. She is…precocious, and I cannot say what would have become of her had you not arrived in time."

Utakata didn't respond, watching Hotaru while the older man cleaned and bandaged his wound. It would be unwise to reveal to his hosts that the oinin had been after him, not her, the blonde a mere bystander caught in the crossfire. Since it seemed they didn't know who he was, bringing any unwanted attention that might reveal his identity was out of the question.

Hotaru stirred beneath his gaze, opening sleepy green eyes and staring blearily at the Jinchūriki. "Oh, you're awake. Thank you so much for saving my life…um…"

"Yagura," Utakata said. The name fell automatically from his lips, a reminder of who he was fighting for.

Green eyes sparkled with adoration, any sign of sleepiness dispelled. "Thank you, Yagura-sama! Um, if you don't mind…would you please teach me to fight like you?"

Utakata's brow furrowed in confusion, sharp eyes analyzing the girl bowing before him. He'd never been propositioned before (in any sense), given the propensity of others to avoid him (and vice versa), and the mere suggestion was baffling. Users of the bubble-line ninjutsu were rare in the Hidden Mist, and even among them, only he could manipulate the corrosivity of fluids.

That, useful or detrimental, was a talent all his own, granted to him by the Rokubi.

Mentally, he shook his head, even while his physical body continued to observe the prostrate form of the blonde with all the mobility of a statue. _What could I teach her?_ he mused, a dark-humored sense of self-deprecation tinging the thought. _And where would I even begin?_

To say that he was uncomfortable with human interaction was an understatement. Despite the village's shortcomings, Kiri at least had prepared him well enough for a life as a weapon, not a person.

And besides, what use was some unskilled girl to his mission? Even trained by him, Hotaru wasn't a Jinchūriki, and certainly didn't appear to offer any sort of benefit to his cause. She'd apparently been caught completely unaware by the oinin, which, while not unexpected, didn't exactly inspire confidence.

No, there was nothing he could do for this girl. Still, the words that escaped his lips were, "Maybe when I've recovered." That, at least, wasn't guaranteeing anything, and would hopefully allow him the time to heal. In the meanwhile, there was no reason not to accept their hospitality. He offered Tonbee a thankful nod for his aid, sparing a glance for the clean wrap of bandages around his shoulder.

"Oh, thank you, Yagura-sama! Is there anything you need?"

"I'm fine, thanks." He closed his eyes once more and leaned back.

"Come, Hotaru-sama, we should allow him his rest."

Utakata allowed his tense muscles to relax into the futon when the pair's footsteps indicated their exit from the room. Subterfuge was not a talent of his, given his relative isolation in Kiri, and the mixture of lying, fleeing, and socializing was getting to him. How long he would last under Tonbee's watchful eye and Hotaru's inquisitive gaze was a crapshoot.

Eventually, those stressful thoughts faded to the background of his mind, and the Jinchūriki dropped into slumber.

-l-l-l-

Utakata cursed, dodging to avoid a stream of water and turning briefly to blow some bubbles at the pursuing oinin. A quick snap of his fingers exploded the floating spheres, and he used the momentary diversion to speed up, golden eyes scanning the landscape for a sign of anything that could aid his flight.

The vast emptiness of the dry Land of Earth greeted him, offering only the occasional boulder as respite. _I was better off in the Land of Demons. At least that had some semblance of shelter and water_.

Of course, anything he'd found in the territory west of the Elemental Nations had paled in comparison to the treatment he'd received on Mount Katsuragi, but after a week recuperating in the presence of Hotaru and Tonbee, he'd run out of excuses to delay training the blonde. Faced with the inevitable confrontation, he'd instead slipped out of their home late at night, silent words of gratitude and apology for the pair echoing in his thoughts.

Karma apparently existed, however, for he'd not only gotten lost in the dark, but another oinin squad had quickly picked up his trail and driven him from the forest to the desert. From there, he'd managed to disappear into the Land of Demons, shoulder still throbbing and only natural poultices to treat it.

That had been two months ago, and now, healed, and with almost four weeks of silence from the hunter-nin, he'd (foolishly) thought it safe to journey to Konoha.

A whistle of displaced air was the only warning he had to dodge before a long, thin sword – essentially a giant needle – with a line of wire tied around the eye at the end whizzed past him. The weapon looped through the air in complex patterns, its trailing wire creating an impassable, latticework web.

Utakata stared at the makeshift barrier, dread pooling in his stomach. _They didn't…_

The sound of his name spoken from behind by a high, reedy voice forced the brunet to turn and face his growing nightmare. Four Kiri-nin stood before him, the leader an abnormally tall shinobi with a mane of straw-colored hair surrounding the standard Mist oinin mask. Long, gangly limbs and a lithe body gave the hunter-nin an almost spider-like quality that was complemented by the coil of wire looped around one arm.

_Kushimaru…_

Kuriarare Kushimaru was the head of the oinin and the best capture-and-retrieval specialist the Hidden Mist had to offer, his title well-earned and aided by the legendary chōtō Nuibari. That a man of Kushimaru's caliber had been sent to bring him back meant that Kiri was done playing around.

"You're coming with us," Kushimaru announced. The aptly-named Sewing Needle returned to his hand. "You can come willingly…or we can have some _fun_." There was a hopeful lilt to his reedy voice, an ill-disguised wish for his prey to choose the latter option.

_They planned this. They backed off to rendezvous with Kushimaru and lure me out._ Golden eyes darted around, seeking an escape. None presented itself. _Smart. Well, I'd hate to disappoint._

His bubble blower rose to his lips. As the first bubbles escaped, one of the Kiri-nin flanking Kushimaru flashed through hand seals, a thick mist springing into existence on the final one. A drizzle accompanied the haze, and the brunet's attack dissolved into individual water droplets. _Kirisame…could this get any worse?_

Kushimaru dashed forward then, Nuibari swiping at the Jinchūriki. Utakata barely blocked the attack with his blower, momentarily stunned by the blow, and the swordsman pressed his advantage, beginning an intricate series of slashes and jabs. With the man's taller frame and longer reach, Utakata could feel himself instinctively withdrawing from the fight when Kushimaru suddenly stopped his assault.

The Jinchūriki was only allowed a second of confusion before he felt wire tighten around him, binding arms to his side and legs together. He winced as the wire bit into his body deeper than necessary for restraining purposes before the swordsman announced, "Raiton: Jibashi."

"_AHHH!_"

The electricity coursing along the wires stopped after several seconds, and Utakata fell to his knees, gasping for breath. He unleashed another scream as Nuibari pierced his side and emerged out his back. "You chose poorly," Kushimaru informed him happily. "The Mizukage is tired of your insubordination." Another electric shock ran along the wires, eliciting more pained cries from the brunet, though that paled in comparison to the defeat weighing on him.

_Yagura…_ The fact that the hunter-nin thought their orders were from the actual Mizukage rankled, but it was drowned out by a flood of guilt.

_I…failed…_

He struggled to summon the Rokubi's chakra to slip out of or dissolve the bindings keeping him in place – as Saiken's power typically allowed – but it merely flared and then dissipated. Kirisame, the Mist Rain, nullified most of his techniques, including the Biju's chakra, and the short fight with Kushimaru had sapped both his strength and hope. The months of hide-and-seek combined with the resonating internal mantra that he'd failed suddenly seemed to catch up to him, and he collapsed fully, body prostrate on the hard ground.

As his vision blurred and his eyes closed from a mixture of exhaustion, blood loss, and electrocution, Utakata thought he felt a faint rumbling from deep beneath the earth. Then there was rocky debris, a pillar of red liquid, a searing heat…

The last thing Utakata knew before blacking out was his bonds loosening as the Kiri-nin scrambled against some unknown force.

-l-l-l-

**Author's Note: **Welcome to my new story! I'll be taking some (minor) liberties with some of the characters, notably some ages (Yagura and Utakata, for instance), as well histories (Kisame and Kushimaru still being in Kiri/alive), but I'll also be utilizing as much of the canon traits of the Jinchūriki as I possibly can and twisting them into the story.

Hope this introduction was to your liking. If you leave a review, I only ask that you be respectful; I _am_ a human being, I'm not perfect, and I do have feelings. Should you have any questions, I'll respond to the best of my ability in a PM.


	2. The Monkey's Skepticism

_Before it happened, people would address him with '-kun' or '-dono' when he passed in the street, delighted to be in the presence of the Tsuchikage-to-be's son. He was respected, and many considered him a potential candidate for the Tsuchikage position whenever his father eventually decided to retire, even considering how young he was._

_After it happened, people scurried away from him and were silent in his passing, unsure how to address the change he'd undergone despite nothing really changing at all. When his brother was born, the citizens appeared visibly relieved, his brother the true (eventual) heir to the Tsuchikage title._

_He blamed Mū, he blamed Ōnoki—_

_But most of all, he blamed the Four-Tailed Monkey sealed within him for how everything had changed._

-l-l-l-

It was the cluster of grey clouds that caught his attention. Rain was sparse in the Land of Earth, but when it did come, it was typically torrential and widespread.

Skirmishes were less uncommon – Iwa-nin always seemed to be chomping at the bit for a fight – but when they did occur, there certainly wasn't any water involved.

Either way, he was used to ignoring such fights. They didn't concern him, and he saw no reason to interfere with the business of others. Life was easier that way, not that he could really remember a time when life had been easy.

Then came the flare of chakra.

It was brief, barely lasting a second before fading away, but it forced him to focus dark eyes on what he'd hoped to give no second thought. Despite lacking any sensory abilities, that chakra called to him, resonating with something deep in his core. The tinge of familiarity was enough to get him running for the battle, brow furrowed and a scowl on his lips.

_I ain't fightin' another._

His hands flew through seals as he approached, the power of the earth and its molten center at his fingertips. _Yōton: Yōgan Kanketsusen._

A geyser of lava erupted from the ground between a fallen form garbed in blue and several figures wearing ANBU masks. It melted through the wire restraining the blue-clad figure before fading completely, the chakra feeding it dissipating in the drab weather.

He inserted himself between the ANBU and the unconscious boy as the Lava Geyser technique disappeared, summoning chakra to function as a layer of lava over his body. Hisses erupted as his Lava Armor technique was pelted by water droplets, effectively dousing it despite the weak drizzle. Red eyebrows furrowed together in confused disapproval. _That shouldn't happen._

Dark eyes searched the assembled ANBU, focusing on the one in the back with his hands held in an unusual position. _Yer th' problem._

Streams of water flew at him from three directions, and slabs of rock rose from the ground to shield him in a crude lean-to formation. Lightning blasted along the earthen barriers, reducing them to rubble and revealing only empty space.

"Find him and kill him," snapped a reedy voice as he reached up from beneath the ground and grabbed a pair of feet. It only took a moment to activate the Double Suicide Decapitation Technique, the targeted ANBU now a mere head aboveground that was quickly severed with the curved blade of his kunai.

As soon as the head rolled off the submerged body, the clouds began to disperse and the accompanying drizzle faded away. He spared a glance at the ANBU mask that stared sightlessly at him, snorting with disdain when he noted the symbol of four curvy lines on its forehead. _Kiri. Shoulda guessed._

"Kirigakure no Jutsu!"

A thick fog rolled in from nowhere, cloaking the area in an impenetrable haze. He tucked the kunai away and remained still, waiting; while effective, he'd learned from past battles that practitioners of the Mist's Silent Killing techniques always approached the enemy.

And, as even they well knew, sight was not always a requisite for lethality.

Little tremors in the earth warned him of an impending attack, and he whirled on the spot, grabbing the approaching Mist ANBU by the neck. His Lava Armor sprang to life, a roiling coat of red-orange fire. The Kiri-nin managed a gurgled scream before his throat was cooked, flames engulfing his head before spreading across the rest of his body. He released the burning corpse, the heat emanating from his form burning off the Hiding in Mist Technique and revealing a third shinobi, hands flashing through seals. "Doton Kekkai: Dorō Dōmu!"

Earth rose around him, enclosing him in a dark hemisphere. A smirk sketched itself across his lips even as his chakra was slowly siphoned away. _Yeh think yeh can trap me with earth? Stupid._ Fingers curling into fists, he punched the wall of the earthen prison. _Doton: Ishi no Hari!_

Dirt exploded outwards beneath his touch, tiny pieces of debris speeding in the direction of the Kiri-nin. The barrier collapsed seconds later, and he meandered over to find the Mist shinobi's body riddled with the projectiles from his Stone Needles technique. _Hn._

Then something sharp pierced his spine, and a high-pitched voice crowed, "Gotcha!"

His Earth Clone crumbled, and the Kiri-nin spun to block his lava-covered fist with a weapon that could only be described as a too-long needle. It surprised him when the metal weapon didn't deform under the intense heat of his Lava Armor, and his adversary capitalized by planting a foot into his chest. He grunted beneath the blow, skidding backwards, though the Mist shinobi's hiss as he made contact tempered the ache. "Nuibari's no ordinary weapon," the ANBU told him, pride lacing his reedy voice even as he gingerly set his foot on the ground. He cocked his head to one side, a magpie examining an interesting curio. "Though the same could be said of you, hm?"

A bark of laughter escaped his throat unbidden as he eyed his opponent. _Yeh don' know how true that is,_ he thought sardonically. As short as he was, the other man probably had two feet on him, his limbs unnaturally long. The way he spoke and carried himself suggested that he was on another level compared to the three deceased Kiri-nin. _Don' matter. Yōton: Shakugaryūgan no Jutsu!_

The needle-wielder stuck the point of his weapon in the ground, hands flipping through seals. "Suiton: Suijinheki!"

A wall of water erupted from below, intercepting the balls of molten rock hurtling towards him. The Kiri-nin laughed. "So, you really _are_ a Yōton-user, eh? Been awhile since I killed one of you. Should be fun." Silence greeted this proclamation, and the Mist shinobi appeared to grow disheartened. "Not much of a talker, are you?"

_Yeh talk enough fer th' both o' us._

"Fine then," continued the taller man. "I guess I'll just have to make you scream!"

Decision apparently made, he picked up Nuibari and rushed forward. The Iwa-nin parried his enemy's slash with the pair of kunai he'd sheathed within his armor, the long weapon sliding along the curved blades of his knives with a metallic screech. He aimed a kick at the taller man's knee, but the Kiri-nin merely used his weapon as a pole and vaulted around it in a semicircle, slamming two water-shod feet into his head.

Steam formed at the point of contact and he skidded sideways, momentarily disoriented. "How much can you take?" taunted the Mist shinobi.

He rose to his feet and glared back before inhaling, chakra gathering in his chest. _More than yeh can give. Yōton: Yōryūdan no Jutsu! _

A dragon formed of lava roared from between his lips, flowing towards his adversary. The Kiri-nin danced away from the attack, managing to look graceful with his gangly limbs. He threw his weapon with casual ease, electricity coursing along its length, and the Iwa-nin dodged to avoid getting skewered or shocked, ignoring it as it sailed past.

Then the ANBU pulled on the trailing wire, and something heavy collided with the lava-user's back. He grunted at the impact, stumbling under the sudden weight. A brief peripheral glance revealed it to be the corpse of one of the other Kiri-nin, wire animating his body like a marionette. More wire looped around the pair in a loose cage. "Chōtō Ninpō: Kaminari Ori!"

Bolts of lightning converged on him from the surrounding wire, filling the sphere-shaped prison with blue-white electricity. He gritted his teeth against the assault, but a low growl of mingled pain and frustration slipped past his lips despite his best effort.

The shrill, amused laughter of the Mist ANBU sounded from nearby, and he squinted his eyes open with a scowl. Though he couldn't see beyond the bright Lightning Cage technique, he still heard his enemy cackle, "So you can talk after all! What else can you say? Come on, scream for me!"

Pain and frustration finally boiled into anger."Yer messin' with th' wrong guy!"

The Kiri-nin stopped laughing and managed a surprised, "Huh?"

"Yōton: Kakazan!"

Magma exploded from beneath him and rained down hot and viscous. From where he stood at the center of the eruption, waves of lava flowed outwards for hundreds of feet, hardening into dark pumice as the seconds passed.

His ragged breathing eventually evened out, hot temper cooling with the release of the Fruit-Flower Mountain technique. "Damn," he muttered. "Let th' bastard git ter me. Stupid." Dark eyes looked around, taking in the results of his handiwork. "No Bijū, though…guess I missed 'im. Hm…?"

Sticking out from the pumice was the long sword the Kiri-nin had referred to as Nuibari. Despite the wire – and the body it had been animating – burning up under the heat of his lava, the weapon appeared undamaged. Employing minor elemental manipulation, he plucked it from its resting place and admired it up close. _Nice prize, at least. _

He shouldered the weapon, catching sight of a spot of blue outside the limits of the pumice. _There yeh are. _Approaching the unconscious form revealed him to be a teenager with brown hair and pale skin, only a slight flush providing any evidence that he'd been near the heated battle. Using Nuibari, he speared the nape of the boy's kimono and began to walk away, dragging the body of the Kiri-nin along behind him.

_This thing's all kinds o' useful._

-l-l-l-

Utakata woke with a groan, opening bleary eyes that were greeted by the setting sun and darkening sky. He was lying on his back, a rock pillowing his head. His body felt bruised and dusty, like he'd been pulled over a hard surface a long distance.

Most surprising was the fact that he wasn't trussed up like a pig and being hauled back to Kirigakure.

"Yer awake, eh?" mused a gruff voice. Utakata tried to sit up and turn his head in the direction of the voice, but a figure was suddenly kneeling over him, and steel was resting at his throat. Golden eyes stared down his nose to spy the curved blade of a strange kunai held against his neck. "How 'bout yeh tell me what a Kiri Jinchūriki's doin' all th' way out here, eh?"

Utakata's gaze flickered to focus on the face of his captor. The man possessed shaggy, bright red hair that followed his jawline and was shaped into a short, pointed beard accompanied by a mustache and a high ponytail that jutted up in back. A prominent black strip of something – some weird birthmark, the brunet guessed – ran across the bridge of his nose and over his cheeks, disappearing beneath a tri-pointed headpiece crafted of brown leather; a golden ring dangled from the left side of the headpiece, a metal plate etched with Iwa's symbol of two overlapping rocks displayed across the forehead. Despite his intense curiosity, and considering the precariousness of his situation, Utakata figured it was best to answer the man's questions. "I left Kiri some time ago. The oinin chased me here to capture me. What happened to them?"

"Dead," grunted the older male, "didn' wanna take chances. Th' one with th' giant needle was annoyin', but yer th' real threat."

_Kushimaru…_ If this man had really killed Kushimaru – and Utakata had no reason to believe he was lying, considering his current situation – then he was a force to be reckoned with. "How'd you know I'm a Jinchūriki?"

"I know a Bijū's chakra."

Utakata gave that vague response a moment of thought before slowly asking, "…Are you a Jinchūriki, too?" It would explain why the Iwa-nin hadn't killed him even though he was considered a bigger threat than Kushimaru, because then he'd have to deal with fighting the freed Saiken. (It also made the kunai at his throat a little pointless, but it was probably best to play along.) Plus, that strange black strip on his face could easily be some Bijū's mark. He took the older man's silence as confirmation, inwardly thrilled at his turn of fortune. Excitement bubbled in his chest, and he continued, "This is _great._ I'm looking for the other Jinchūriki—"

The blade at his throat dug in, breaking skin and cutting off whatever else he was going to say. "Why's that?" growled the redhead, dark eyes flashing. "Kiri got plans fer th' Jinchūriki?"

"I told you, I left Kiri," the brunet replied carefully, silently berating himself for allowing his enthusiasm to take over; he was used to being calm and collected, but after so many months of trying to progress in his quest and being stymied by the oinin, true progress was an exciting thing, especially after his near-failure earlier that day. Just because this shinobi's first action wasn't to kill him didn't mean that Utakata wanted to press his luck. Still, honesty was the best policy, not to mention the most likely way to forge an alliance… "The Mizukage's being controlled by someone who's looking to capture all the Jinchūriki and take our Bijū."

He felt the kunai pull away from his throat, just a little; apparently he'd piqued the older man's curiosity. "Why?"

…_Good question. _"No idea. I left before I could find out. But if we could band together—"

The Iwa-nin barked a rusty laugh, fully withdrawing his blade from Utakata's throat and standing to his full height. "Band t'gether? Are yeh mad?"

Utakata struggled into a sitting position, wincing as the injury from Kushimaru's sword protested the movement. Now that he was upright and the Rock shinobi was distanced from him, he could finally see the older man in his entirety: a purplish, long-sleeved shirt and pants were worn loose on his short frame, form-fitting mesh armor with black sleeves visible at the chest and wrists. Worn leather armor protected his chest and stomach, flaps hanging from the waist to cover his thighs. At first glance, he looked like a warrior from a time long past. "Listen, this person can control a _Kage_, and he's got an organization of shinobi on the level of Hoshigaki Kisame looking—"

"Who?"

Utakata blinked. "Hoshigaki Kisame. One of the strongest members of Kiri's Seven Shinobi Swordsmen?" _One of the only ones left, too, _he mused idly. At the other male's raised eyebrow, Utakata shook his head in disbelief. "How have you not heard of Kisame? He's infamous."

The redhead scowled at him. "Boy, I been out here fer longer than yeh've been alive, an' I don' git much in th' way o' news. I'm called Yōton no Rōshi an' I'm infamous, too, but I bet yeh ain't heard o' me."

Utakata frowned. "Well, no, but—"

"Aye," Rōshi nodded, "'cause th' sacrifices o' Jinchūriki ain't talked 'bout but in cruel whispers. That's why I left."

Utakata found that he couldn't argue with that logic; his own life back in the Hidden Mist supported the redhead's words well enough. Still, this was the first break he'd gotten since leaving his village, and to just give up because this other Jinchūriki was stubborn and ill-informed about current events was throwing away a golden opportunity. "Okay, maybe you don't recognize some of the prominent names of today, but you can't really think you can fight whoever Akatsuki is—"

"Akatsuki?" Rōshi interjected. "Yeh said nothin' 'bout Akatsuki."

The brunet fought back his irritation at the continued interruptions before he'd finished his thought, now more intrigued that he'd gotten Rōshi's attention, as well as any additional information he could glean from him. "You know about Akatsuki?"

"Aye," admitted the older Jinchūriki, his lips twisting into a smirk, amusement and cynicism fighting for control, "yeh could say that." For the first time since their conversation had started, the redhead settled himself on a rock in front of the fire and placed the tip of his curved kunai in the flames, dark eyes reflecting the firelight. "Akatsuki's a terrorist group fer hire ter whoever wants 'em. Th' Tsuchikage's been usin' 'em on an' off fer years. I ain't seen 'em in action, but it's said th' members're all S-class nukenin."

_S-class terrorists__…great._ Well, that matched what he knew of Kisame's abilities and personality, so Rōshi's knowledge was at least believable. He wished the redhead knew what Akatsuki's numbers or skill sets were, but at least he now had a generic plateau to reach. S-class shinobi, while scarce, were generally labeled as such due to kekkei genkai or possession of some special power – normally a kinjutsu, though a weapon the likes of Samehada worked, too – and were considered Kage-level. Utakata knew that he was S-class in name because of his status as a Jinchūriki, though his actual rank didn't quite measure up yet; Yagura, however, held and had earned the title.

"Yer sayin' that Akatsuki's after th' Jinchūriki?"

"Seems that way."

"Hmm…"

Utakata allowed his companion to muse in silence, deciding that pressuring the older man into helping him wouldn't achieve the desired result. Even if he wanted (and needed) the assistance of the remaining Jinchūriki, it didn't mean that they'd just go along with his idea. He was relying a little on their desire for self-preservation to sway them to his cause, but loyalty, arrogance, stubbornness, and a dozen other personality traits would have to not get in the way of that. Certainly, if a Jinchūriki had a strong enough tie to his village – and the feeling was reciprocated – then maybe the might of one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations could rebuff an attack by Akatsuki.

But Utakata didn't have that luxury, especially with his village leader being controlled by the very people seeking to capture him, and if he was lucky, Rōshi would join him. The way he spoke certainly indicated a strained relationship with the Hidden Rock, one that would advantage the brunet.

"Say I believe yeh…" Rōshi stated, breaking the Kiri-nin from his thoughts, "what's yer plan?"

"Find the other Jinchūriki," he replied. "Convince them to join us, and then when Akatsuki comes, we fight back." _And rescue Yagura._

"Yer crazier than I am if yeh think that'll work," the redhead told him, "an' th' only thing I talk ter is rocks."

Alarm at that admission froze the brunet. Desperately, he probed, "But what about your Bijū?"

Rōshi barked another laugh of mocking amusement. "Ha! Me an' th' Yonbi came ter an understandin' long ago, and it don' involve speakin'."

Utakata felt his heart plummet. He'd been operating under the assumption that most villages would have trained their Jinchūriki in a manner similar to how he and Yagura had been raised in the Hidden Mist: as weapons with the capacity to (eventually) access their Bijū's chakra and transformations. Unlike the Mizukage – who had successfully brought the Sanbi's power under his command – Utakata could only utilize part of the Rokubi's power (and even then, only with Saiken's permission), and it sounded like Rōshi's relationship with the Four-Tails hadn't even gotten to that point despite his significant time with the creature. If the Jinchūriki couldn't access the full power of their Bijū – and that was one of the things the brunet had planned on practicing – could they even defeat Akatsuki?

Still, he'd come up with his plan on the fly, while not in the best mindset, so a fresh perspective might spark something new. He sighed. "Well, do you have a better suggestion?"

"Course not, I only jus' heard 'bout all this," Rōshi rebutted. "But yer speakin' with desperation, an' that's jus' stupid. Workin' with th' other Jinchūriki…" he scoffed. "Nobody likes a Jinchūriki, not even another Jinchūriki."

"That's not true," Utakata snapped, temper surfacing at the unintended slight to his and Yagura's friendship.

Rōshi's dark eyes narrowed on him with suspicion. "Boy, yeh don' know jus' how true it is." Then, before the brunet could retort, the Iwa-nin stood up and stretched, the cracking of his vertebrae echoing loudly in the stillness of the evening. "But I'll tag along."

Utakata's surprise stilled his question about why Rōshi was so sure of his opinions on Jinchūriki. "You will?"

"Sure. Been a long time since I got ter tell someone 'told yeh so'. We'll head out when yer strong enough ter move on yer own. I ain't yer nurse."

Utakata scowled as Rōshi covered the fire with earth, his rusty chuckles of amusement grating to the brunet's ears. _Just…take the win,_ he told himself.

His journey had finally borne fruit, but it appeared ready to drop and fallow at a moment's notice. He would have to proceed with caution going forward.

-l-l-l-

Most of Rōshi's distrust of people stemmed from the fact that his nation had turned its back on him simply because he'd become a Jinchūriki, and not by his own choice either (not that anyone would choose that path, but the point remained). Of course, he'd also grown up in a time when the threat of war was constant and Mū, an advocate of backstabbing and selfishness, could spy with no one the wiser, so it was no surprise that the redhead had little faith in people.

The decades he'd spent in isolation probably didn't help either.

Even still, there was something off about the boy – Utakata, he'd finally learned – he was traveling with. His Jinchūriki status and missing hitae-ate suggested the Kiri-nin's story possessed at least some elements of credibility. After all, the Bijū had been sought by people – and then nations by the time they'd become well-known – since the First Hokage had initially handed out the few he'd managed to capture, and ever since, they'd been used as weapons to aid (and prolong) war. The fact that an organization like Akatsuki sought to commandeer them for its own purposes wasn't all that surprising.

But the brunet's story had holes in it, the most prominent being his (misplaced) confidence that one Jinchūriki could get along with another.

Rōshi knew one other demon container personally and had fought against another over the course of Iwa's involvement in the Third Shinobi World War. What interaction he'd had with them suggested that their isolation had allowed them to thrive, in a morbid sort of way. Both, in fact, had wanted nothing more than to kill him. One had already failed; the other was probably still trying to figure out how to do so. Rōshi's self-imposed exile was a testament to just how far a Jinchūriki would go to remove himself from society, to get away from the hatred and disgust that even their own kind couldn't sympathize with.

He only knew of one person who didn't see him as a monster, and she didn't know of his burden.

Dark eyes stared hard at the teenager's back, scrutinizing him for clues. _What're yeh hidin', hm?_ "So," he began as they walked across the Land of Earth's vast wasteland, "where're we goin'?"

"Konoha," Utakata replied, "unless you have a better idea."

"I'm jus' followin' yer lead," the redhead pointed out, "slow as it is."

Utakata spared the older Jinchūriki an annoyed glare at the jab. Likely a byproduct of his solitude, Rōshi's social interactions left much to be desired – which was saying something, coming from him – though the brunet knew that he had to play nice and suffer through his companion's potshots or risk losing his company altogether. Despite that, he had at least acquiesced to the bubble-user's request to sear his wound closed so they could get moving right away, though the pace was a slog compared to how quickly shinobi normally traveled, even with the aid of Nuibari as a walking stick. Smoothing his features into a more diplomatic expression, he said, "I'd welcome your opinions. This is supposed to be a team effort."

"Two people don' make a team," Rōshi argued, "'specially when they jus' met."

"…You don't trust me," Utakata stated after a moment.

"Course not. D'yeh trust me?"

"No." At Rōshi's raised eyebrow, he continued, "I'm not an idiot—"

"Coulda fooled me," grumbled the redhead.

"—but I'm trying to see the bigger picture. Yes, we're strangers, and yes, we're from different villages, but we're both Jinchūriki, and I need your help. And whether you admit it or not, you need mine." He ignored Rōshi's derisive grunt, instead hobbling over to the nearest rock and sitting down with a sigh. The Iwa-nin's dark eyes followed his movements, arms crossed over his chest. "So, what do you want to know?"

"Which one d'yeh have?"

"The Rokubi no Namekuji."

"An' yer powers?"

Instead of responding, Utakata withdrew his bamboo bubble blower, dunked it in his jug of solution, and then blew. A handful of bubbles escaped the weapon's opening, and the older Jinchūriki's eyes followed their path as they rose into the air before a snap of the brunet's fingers had them explode. "Bubbles, eh?" Rōshi mused, one hand stroking his beard. "Kinda wimpy. That all?"

"I can also control the acidity and alkalinity of liquids. And I know a fair amount of Suiton ninjutsu."

"Why'd yeh leave Kiri?"

"I already told you, Akatsuki is controlling the Mizukage to—"

"Hunt down th' Jinchūriki, so yeh said," Rōshi interrupted with a flippant wave of his hand. "But yer tellin' me that no one else in Kiri can tell th' Mizukage's bein' controlled? Do I look daft ter yeh?" When Utakata hesitated in responding, the Iwa-nin's dark eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Don' try ter pull th' wool over my eyes, boy, yer way too young ter get away with it."

After a moment, the former Kiri-nin replied, "The Mizukage…Yagura…he's my friend—"

Rōshi let out a cruel bark of laughter. "I already told yeh, Jinchūriki don' have friends."

"We're friends," Utakata asserted fiercely, golden eyes narrowed in challenge, "and he's also a Jinchūriki."

Rōshi blinked in surprise. Jinchūriki were (almost) always connected to a village's Kage in some fashion in order to retain a tether of loyalty (or at least a facsimile of such), but they never _became_ Kages themselves. Utakata continued, "Yagura's the Jinchūriki of the Sanbi no Kyodaigame, and he's able to control the Sanbi's power completely. That's why no one in Kiri is suspicious. No one thinks anyone can control someone who can control a Bijū. Plus, whoever's controlling Yagura has one of the members of the Seven Shinobi Swordsmen on his side, and no one questions the Swordsmen."

The Yonbi Jinchūriki remained silent in the wake of Utakata's revelations. He knew all too well of the fallacies associated with those who were seen as infallible, and while the boy's story now made more sense in some respect, it also implied far more danger. If whoever was in control of Akatsuki could manipulate a Kage who was also a Jinchūriki, what kind of power did that person wield? Utakata seemed to believe that the power of the combined Jinchūriki would be enough to resist Akatsuki, but that plan hinged on bringing together the demon containers. Maybe the former Kiri-nin had befriended his fellow Jinchūriki, but that made him the exception, not the rule.

Like most Iwa-nin, Rōshi was as obstinate as the rocks he manipulated, and experience had taught him that Jinchūriki didn't work together. "Yeh realize that yer tryin' ter ally a buncha shinobi from diff'rent villages, right?"

"Of course. I told you, I'm not an idiot."

"It'll never work. Jinchūriki were made ter fight each other. Even Jinchūriki from th' same village won't work t'gether."

Utakata smiled thinly. "We're working together right now."

Rōshi nickered a skeptical breath, a short laugh of disdain. "Is that what yeh think this is?"

Utakata stared up at the older male through the bangs covering his eye. "I just gave you evidence that two Jinchūriki from the same village can become friends—"

"Yeh told me a story, 's what yeh did. There ain't no 'evidence'."

"—and you still don't believe me, which means…you probably have some experience to the contrary." Golden eyes narrowed in suspicion. "You're not Iwa's only Jinchūriki, are you?"

Rōshi scowled. He hated to admit it, but the boy was intuitive, even if his plan had no chance of working. "No."

The brunet jumped to his feet, wincing as his side protested the action. "Then we should go find him! You can convince him to come with us!"

"Ain't happenin'."

"But we need him!" Utakata protested.

Rōshi's features were stone, dark eyes unflinching. "Ain't. Happenin'," he repeated, tone brooking no argument. "I told yeh, nobody likes a Jinchūriki, not even another Jinchūriki. Maybe it's diff'rent fer yeh, but ev'rywhere else, that's how it works. 'Sides, I ain't convinced that this idea'll work, so there ain't no way I'm puttin' myself in danger 'less I see an actual reason ter do so."

Utakata released a growl of frustration, but then allowed the subject to drop. Given their current situation, he would be better off not antagonizing his only ally. "Fine. Can we keep going then?"

Rōshi blinked, a genuine expression of confusion overtaking his dour features. "Yer not gonna ask me anythin'?"

"Would you answer if I did?" Silence was his only response, and Utakata nodded. "Thought not. You'll either tell me in time or I'll figure it out. In the meantime, I'd like to keep moving."

His fellow Jinchūriki shrugged. "Yer th' one who stopped." They walked along in silence for several minutes before Rōshi asked, "Why Konoha?"

"How much history do you know?"

The redhead shrugged again. "Things I did, mos'ly. When yeh live as I do, th' rest o' th' world don' really matter."

Utakata sighed before saying, "About 12 years ago, the Kyūbi attacked Konoha."

"An' th' Yondaime Hokage died." The brunet stared at his companion, surprise clear in his wide eyes. Rōshi stared flatly back. "When a shinobi as big as th' Yellow Flash dies, yeh don' think word spreads? Iwa hates 'im. So yeh think there's a Jinchūriki in Konoha."

"Makes sense," the renegade Kiri-nin replied, walking his companion through his logic. "The story goes that the Yondaime Hokage killed the Kyūbi—" Rōshi snorted to show what he thought of the tale. Utakata nodded. "My thought exactly. When I left Kiri, I knew the locations of three other Jinchūriki for certain, and I didn't think going to Kumo was the best idea."

"Why?"

"Kumo's always been pretty militaristic, and I didn't think I'd be received well there. But I figured Konoha must've had at least the Kyūbi out of the missing Bijū, so that's how I decided."

"Hmm…so Kiri's got two, Iwa's got two, Kumo's got…two?" Rōshi ascertained, ticking the numbers off on his fingers. At Utakata's nod, he continued, "Konoha has one. Suna's got at least one, an' th' last one's either in Konoha or Suna."

"Or unsealed."

Rōshi snorted again. "Tch, _right_. Ev'ryone scooped up th' Bijū fast as they could. Can't let all that power go wasted."

"But yeah," Utakata finished, ignoring his companion's snark, "that's what I was thinking."

"Yeh realize that th' Kyūbi Jinchūriki's prob'bly jus' a kid, right? Maybe yer age at th' oldest."

The Kiri-nin opened his mouth to respond and then closed it. Truthfully, in his desperation to escape the Hidden Mist and the hunter-nin, he hadn't given consideration to the Kyūbi Jinchūriki's age, despite assuming that the fox had been sealed roughly a decade prior. Due to their very nature as chakra given animal form, there were limits on when the Bijū could be sealed. Babies and young children whose chakra coils weren't fully developed and had the potential to grow into the massive chakra they would inherit were the only real choices for a successful Jinchūriki.

"Doesn't matter," he finally replied. "The Kyūbi's the strongest of the Bijū, so having its Jinchūriki on our side would make a huge difference. Besides, Yagura became the Mizukage when he was 12, so age is irrelevant."

"He can also control th' Sanbi's power, accordin' ter yeh. I wouldn't use 'im as a measurin' stick."

He said nothing to that. It was good that he'd found Rōshi, but the older man was turning out to be very pessimistic, even compared to Utakata's morose realism. When they reached Konoha and found the Kyūbi Jinchūriki, everything would change.

_Hopefully._

-l-l-l-

"What's next?"

Utakata resisted the overwhelming urge to snap at his companion. Every step of their journey to Konoha had been sprinkled with little pieces of Rōshi's commentary tinged with smug amusement, as if he felt personally vindicated at every blockade put in their path. First was his skepticism on how the bubble-user planned on convincing the Jinchūriki to work together, then it was how to traverse the Land of Fire (which retained some measure of border security as they got closer to Konoha), and now that they'd reached the village proper, it was how they would proceed to find the Jinchūriki.

Granted, Konoha was a big village, and it was a fair question, but between their resourcefulness – Rōshi had used an earth technique to move them underground to bypass the barrier – the brunet figured they could come up with something.

It didn't help his mood that, despite several attempts to convince Rōshi to get Iwa's second Jinchūriki to join their cause, the older man had stubbornly refused to provide any additional assistance. "Look for the Jinchūriki."

"'Cause it's jus' that simple," came the sarcastic response.

"You said it yourself," Utakata pointed out, "he's within a certain age range. Check the Academy, or the training grounds, or somewhere a young shinobi would go."

"An' if he's on a mission?" Rōshi argued. "We could jus' be wastin' our time."

"Then we wait. Do you have something better to do?" The redhead grunted, but made no other noise of dissent. Utakata smirked to himself. _That's what I thought. _"In the meantime, we search."

Konoha's size aside, it didn't take long to find the Shinobi Academy, and they passed the time waiting for the kids to be let out in silence. Utakata had discovered that Rōshi's exile made him comfortable with prolonged bouts of quiet, despite how opinionated he was when it came to certain topics. While Utakata didn't mind the silence, given his own social reticence, he also knew that if the Jinchūriki were to learn to work together, communication was required.

And while Utakata could talk to Yagura, he didn't have the same level of comfort around the Iwa-nin.

"Uchiha, nobody, nobody, Yamanaka," Rōshi muttered, startling the bubble-user.

"What are you doing?"

Rōshi jerked his head toward the Academy, where students were now flowing out. "Cataloguin'. Pink hair? Nobody, Nara, Akimichi."

Utakata blinked in surprise. His missions hadn't led him through the Land of Fire, and Rōshi seemed like too much of a hermit to have any sort of knowledge relating to what he could only presume was clan affiliation. "How?"

"Know yer enemy," came the gruff reply. He pointed towards the first boy out. "That style o' shirt, with th' upturned collar, that's what th' Uchiha clan wears." He moved on to a girl with long, platinum blonde hair tied in a high ponytail. "Hair color o' th' Yamanaka clan. Nara hair style, Akimichi body, Aburame clothin', Inuzuka facial tattoos," he continued, indicating more children in turn. "Th' rest o' 'em ain't from any big clan…"

Utakata was already nodding in acceptance of Rōshi's classifications of Konoha's up-and-coming shinobi, so when the older man cut himself off abruptly, the brunet figured his companion had seen his understanding and allowed his analysis to stop. But when the redhead uttered something in as close to a tone of disbelief as the renegade Mist shinobi had heard thus far, he prompted, "Sorry, what?"

"Namikaze," Rōshi whispered, his voice a mixture of shock and fear.

Utakata frowned. "Namikaze…as in the Yondaime Hokage?"

"D'yeh know o' any other Namikaze?" Rōshi snapped.

"No. Where are you looking?" The Iwa-nin pointed, and golden eyes followed the direction to a boy with spiky yellow hair and crystal blue eyes trailing the crowd. Despite the exotic combination, the most intriguing feature of the boy was a set of prominent whisker-like markings, three on each cheek. "Are you sure? I've never heard of the Yondaime Hokage having a son." Not that he knew much of the man beyond his reputation; Kirigakure preferred to boast about its own history, not that of other nations.

Rōshi fixed him with the most serious look Utakata had seen on the redhead. "Boy, if yeh'd seen 'im mow down an army o' shinobi, yeh'd never ferget what he looked like either. 'Sides," he continued, turning back to scrutinize the blond, "yeh see th' whiskers?"

_So he noticed, too._ "You think that's his mark?"

"Aye, a fox, right?" At Utakata's hum of assent, Rōshi nodded. "That's my guess. An' since most Jinchūriki're related ter their Kage, 'im bein' Namikaze's son makes sense."

Utakata nodded. "Fair enough. Let's follow him," he urged, grabbing Rōshi's sleeve and tugging on it. The older Jinchūriki yanked himself from the brunet's grip with a violent jerk but followed his companion anyway, grumbling at the teen's pushiness.

They trailed the blond child to a playground that immediately emptied upon the boy's presence. Utakata nudged the redhead at that development, and Rōshi scowled at his companion's eagerness. The visual of people starkly avoiding the Namikaze child was just another line of evidence that he was Konoha's Jinchūriki, and he didn't need Utakata's enthusiasm to remind him of the shitty life their kind led. "So yeh've found 'im. _Now_ what's yer plan?" he asked snidely.

"We need to talk to him in private. Can you use that Doton jutsu again?"

Rōshi quirked an eyebrow, but began forming seals. "Aye."

Utakata forestalled him by shaking his head. "Wait for me." He ran through his own hand seals, an intense look of concentration on his face. Rōshi almost asked what his plan was, but decided to see what the younger male was doing without breaking his focus.

So seamlessly that he was sure he would have missed it if he wasn't actively watching for something, a thin layer of liquid formed from the moisture in the air, creating a hemispherical bubble around the swing set the blond child was on. "Okay, go now."

Rōshi went through the seals for the Earth Release: Underground Projection Fish Technique once more, sinking through the earth and practically swimming through it as the technique's name suggested. Judging himself to be beneath the boy based on the slight vibrations of the swing set in the earth, he surfaced and immediately clasped one hand over the blond's mouth and one around his torso before sinking back into the ground and heading for the forest surrounding the village proper.

Utakata watched from the sidelines as Rōshi crept up on the blond boy and kidnapped him. As the caster, he could see through the bubble he'd placed over the swing set, though anyone else would only see what the genjutsu on the bubble's surface displayed. Maybe capturing their prospective ally wasn't the best way to endear themselves to him, but they needed to have a conversation away from prying eyes, and no matter how deserted the playground seemed, there was always the potential for mishaps.

The bubble's surface showed the blond getting up and walking away, and Utakata allowed a small detachment to break off and take on the shape of the Konoha child, a Bubble Clone wandering off in a direction that would hopefully avoid detection. That done, he left for the forest, hoping that Rōshi had chosen an ideal rendezvous point.

-l-l-l-

**Author's Note: **Try to read Rōshi in a more rural accent than a pirate-y one. It's based a bit on Hagrid's syntax from Harry Potter, minus the British accent.


	3. The Fox's Dream

_"Hey, Hokage-jii-san, how come you're so nice to me?"_

_"Hm? Well, it's the Hokage's duty to look after the people of Konoha. I watch over everyone, and in turn, the village prospers."_

_"So if I become Hokage, people will have to pay attention to me, right? 'Cause I'll be protecting them."_

_A somber expression overtook the Hokage's face, saddened by the child's simplistic solution to a problem far beyond his comprehension. "That may be an oversimplification," he placated. "The Hokage must also be strong—"_

_"But you're so old!"_

_He leveled a mock-affronted look at his companion. "I'm not_ that _old. Besides, with__ age comes wisdom and experience. I'll have you know I'm stronger than I look."_

_"Eh, really? Well, then I'm gonna become even stronger than you so I can be Hokage!"_

_The Hokage chuckled, tousling the boy's already-unruly blond locks and earning a shout of protest. "I look forward to that day, Naruto-kun."_

-l-l-l-

_Today sucks._

So what if he'd been late to class? He'd been busy training to become Hokage! It wasn't like he'd ever learned anything of use in the Academy anyway, even though Iruka insisted that everything he taught was _super_ important. What use was math in the face of an awesome jutsu?

But, Iruka always argued, strategy counted for something. 'The size or power of a jutsu is meaningless if a shinobi is clever enough to escape or counter it,' he'd say.

That was why they always practiced the same three techniques over and over _and over _again, until Naruto had gotten so sick of the monotony that he'd just given up going to class to master them. That he still couldn't figure out how to produce a true Bunshin didn't help his motivation either; it seemed like no matter how much chakra he used or how hard he focused, his clones always turned out half-formed and sickly.

Hearing that he'd need to produce a passable clone to graduate from the Academy had caused an uncomfortable knot in his stomach, a seed of despair that had bloomed into full growth with the call of his name.

"_I'm sorry, Naruto, but we can't pass you."_

'Again' had gone unspoken, though it hadn't changed the demoralizing weight that burdened his body. Watching his classmates meet their parents with new hitae-ate displayed proudly on their foreheads had only reminded him of both his failure _and_ his loneliness, and so he'd turned and left, heading for the solace of the local playground.

Where everyone else was congratulated for their achievement, he wallowed in the despair of defeat.

Allowing the gentle rocking motion of the swing to provide a tiny semblance of comfort, he took the silence to think about what would happen next. His classmates would progress to the next level of shinobi life while he was left in the dust for another year.

Or maybe worse. Was there a punishment for those who had failed the Graduation Exam three times? Despite his continually terrible performance, he hadn't yet been removed from the Academy (although that may have been due to the support of the Third Hokage, there was no way of telling), but maybe that was just because he hadn't yet failed three times. Things tended to work out in threes – the basic Academy ninjutsu, strikes in stickball…points in an argument – so maybe the instructors had just been waiting for this moment to expel him.

_What if they won't let me be Hokage?!_

A hand clamped over his mouth – muffling his yelp of surprise – and an arm wrapped around his torso. In the next instant, his vision was engulfed in darkness, and then, after what felt like hours, he could see again.

He blinked in surprise as his vision returned. He was in the middle of the forest surrounded on all sides by towering trees. Dappled sunlight filtered down through the treetops, casting strange patterns against gnarled bark. _Wow… _Having never been outside of Konoha's great walls before, the sheer beauty of his surroundings was a welcome distraction from his current situation.

It was as he was turning around in admiration that he spotted his (presumed) kidnapper standing several feet away. The man was short and clad in what Naruto thought were purple pajamas, with scruffy, bright red hair held in a topknot that matched his short beard and connecting mustache. Judging by his forehead protector, he was _not_ from the Hidden Leaf. "Hey!" he shouted, feelings of peace suddenly shattered by a righteous anger. "You think you can get away with kidnappin' the future Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto?"

"Shut up, kid," grumbled the redhead, tone filled with bored disdain.

Naruto was used to how people talked to or about him in the same manner, but combined with the day he'd had so far, the man's actions and condescension were the final straws. With the intent to show his kidnapper what-for, he took two steps forward and then stumbled, letting out a surprised, "Wha—?" as he did. A glance down revealed his feet encased up to the ankle in hard rock that hadn't been there a moment ago.

"I'd stay put if I were yeh," the redhead advised. Naruto returned his gaze to the older man to find him pulling his hands apart from a clasped position. The blond reached into his kunai pouch and withdrew one of his blades to start breaking himself free of the rock, but the other male just laughed – almost cruelly, he thought – and said, "Don' waste yer time, yeh ain't gonna break out o' that."

Not one to listen to the advice of others, Naruto continued stabbing at his restraints. After almost a minute of hacking, his kidnapper's gruff voice asked, "Uzumaki yeh say?"

Force of habit had the blond stop to look up, gesture to his chest with his thumb, and boisterously reply, "Yeah! Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage!"

The redhead waved him off. "Aye, I heard yeh th' first time. Not Namikaze, eh?" he muttered.

"Who?"

His kidnapper stared at him in what Naruto guessed was disbelief for a long moment before turning away, muttering incomprehensibly. The blond let out an indignant huff before returning to the task of freeing himself. After another several minutes, the redhead grumbled, "_Finally_," and Naruto raised his head to look at what had driven him to speak.

Floating towards them was a boy with shoulder-length brown hair, casually sitting cross-legged inside a bubble. He was clothed in a blue kimono, and Naruto guessed he was probably a teenager. Once he was close enough, the bubble popped, and the kimono-clad boy alit on his feet with dainty ease.

Or it would have been if he didn't stumble the landing, a long, thin weapon digging into the ground and serving as a makeshift walking stick that kept the brunet (mostly) upright.

Naruto was so amazed by his appearance that he'd stopped working on his escape and was fixated on the new arrival. He snapped out of his daze when the redhead barked a laugh. "Ain't yeh graceful?"

The brunet chose to ignore his companion's sarcasm, instead straightening his posture and offering a genial, "Nice job, Rōshi. As far as I can tell, no one followed us, and we're pretty well hidden," he added, glancing around as if to accentuate this point. Naruto noticed he had a very calm way of talking, his voice even despite the praise he credited his accomplice. Though it might have just seemed that way in comparison to the redhead, who seemed as big a jerk as any of the people he'd run into in Konoha.

"Bah, don' matter," Rōshi scoffed. "Th' kid's a dud. Ain't even a Namikaze."

A startled expression overtook the brunet's features. "You said he was."

Rōshi shrugged. "It was a guess. An' he seems pretty stupid."

Naruto decided he'd had enough of being ignored and insulted. "Hey, you're talkin' about the future Hokage! Lemme go before I kick your ass!"

"Loud, too," added the redhead dryly.

"You're sure he's not the Jinchūriki?"

"I didn' _ask_, if that's what yer—"

"What's a…whatever you said?"

Both kidnappers turned to look at the blond. The younger one cursed, his calm composure showing fractures. "What's the likelihood that Konoha didn't tell its Jinchūriki that he's a Jinchūriki?" he asked his companion.

"Slim ter none," Rōshi responded, raising his chin to scratch his beard. "Th' strongest o' th' Biju at their disposal an' they ain't usin' 'im as a weapon? Seems unlikely."

"But everything else fit!" his companion protested, the timbre of his voice cracking with emotion. He began ticking off his fingers. "Solitary, disliked, connected to a high-ranking political figure—"

"Which he ain't," Rōshi interjected. "I told yeh it was a guess. 'Sides, yeh said it yerself, Namikaze didn' have a son, an' this damn idiot don' even know who he is."

"Just because we didn't hear of one doesn't mean he didn't have one. He's even got the marking!"

"Yer graspin' at straws. Jus' 'cause yeh want 'im ter be th' Jinchūriki don' mean he is."

The blue-clad boy waved off his companion's words – receiving an eye roll in return – before turning to the blond. "Hello…"

"Naruto," supplied the redhead. Then he muttered, "Stupid name."

"Naruto," repeated the teenager, "who are your parents?"

Unable to move, and deciding that playing along might expedite his release, Naruto replied, "Dunno. Never had any parents."

His kidnappers exchanged glances before the brown-haired boy turned back to him and said, "According to my friend here—" Rōshi scoffed again, "—you bear a striking resemblance to Namikaze Minato."

"Who?"

Rōshi again muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like 'idiot'. His companion turned to offer him a brief frown, and when he returned to speaking to Naruto, the expression remained etched on his face. "Namikaze Minato," he repeated, "your Yondaime Hokage."

Excitement bubbled within the blond's chest, all his problems momentarily forgotten. "I'm related to the Yondaime?!"

"It's…_possible_…"

"Bah, who cares?" Rōshi interrupted. "Th' kid ain't who yer lookin' fer, an' I ain't wastin' any more time here." He turned around and began to march away, the earth holding Naruto's feet in place crumbling away.

There were a lot of things that irritated Naruto, but being blown off by people who thought they were better than him – his (former) classmate Sasuke tended to act like that in their spars – was near the top of that list. Given that Rōshi had been nothing but condescending towards him during their entire interaction, the blond decided to take advantage of the older man's blasé attitude while he had the opportunity and teach him a lesson. He rushed past the blue-clad teenager – who called out his name in a warning – and charged the redhead with his kunai, fully prepared to enact vengeance.

He was caught by surprise when Rōshi turned and delivered a vicious spin-kick to his side, sending him rocketing into a thick tree trunk amidst a _crunch_ of mangled bark. "So, yeh thought yeh could pull a fast one on me, eh?" The redhead stalked towards him, cracking his knuckles as he approached. "Yer too young ter be thinkin' yeh can take me on. Back off, boy," he barked when the brunet rushed closer in protest.

"Rōshi, you can't—"

"I can do what I want, 'less yeh sudd'nly turned inter th' Tsuchikage." He returned his attention to Naruto even as he continued to address the blue-clad male. "Yeh want ter see if he's th' Jinchūriki? This'll show if he's th' weapon they woulda trained 'im ter be."

Naruto rose from his slumped position with a groan and charged Rōshi again, this time telegraphing a punch. The redhead effortlessly caught the fist in his hand and then brought his knee into the blond's stomach, leaving him slumped over and wheezing for air. He slammed his elbow down on the boy's clavicle, laying him out flat on the ground, then stomped down with one foot. A rock jutted up from the earth and delivered a second blow to Naruto's stomach. The blond dry-heaved from where he lay.

"Rōshi, that's enough!"

The redhead glowered at the brunet for a long moment before turning and walking away with a snort. "Tch, waste o' time."

"Now we _have_ to leave," his companion reprimanded. "We could've just separated peaceably, returned him back to the village, but now that you _assaulted him,_ he'll tell the Hokage and Konoha will definitely be on the lookout for us."

"Hmph, yer optimistic. They woulda come after us anyway. Yer on yer own," Rōshi added, waving a hand in dismissal. "I told yeh this was a stupid idea, an' yeh've still got nothin' ter show fer it."

"We would've been able to keep looking if you hadn't lost your temper!"

"I jus' told yeh, there ain't no more 'we'."

Naruto slowly rose to his feet as the two argued. Even Sasuke had never beaten him so thoroughly and viciously, and now he was both pissed and humiliated. "Hey…oji-san…" he gasped, "I'm not…done…yet…"

Rōshi turned around and graced the blond with one of the most scornful expressions he'd ever seen, as if the finger he was pointing determinedly at the older man was a particularly bad joke. From his periphery, Naruto could see the other boy staring at him with something akin to awe on his features, probably amazed at his tenacity (or sheer awesomeness, either was a possibility). He brought his fingers into the Ram seal and announced, "Oiroke no Jutsu!"

Smoke enveloped his body briefly, only to dissipate and leave a taller, well-endowed, naked, female blonde with pigtails in his place. He blew a kiss at Rōshi, a sensual invitation designed to derive a reaction from him like he had from the normally straight-laced Iruka. From the corner of his eye, Naruto spied the brown-haired boy determinedly looking away.

Whatever he had expected to happen, it never came to pass. Rōshi's dark eyes narrowed into an approximation of obsidian chips, his hands fisted at his sides and anger shaking his body. "Yeh call that ninjutsu?!" he roared, hands flying through seals. "What self-respectin' shinobi falls fer somethin' so stupid? _This_ is ninjutsu!"

"Rōshi, don't!"

"Yōton: Yōnami!"

-l-l-l-

Utakata couldn't find the words to express the disappointment flooding his veins. He'd had such high hopes that the blond child Rōshi had been so certain was the Namikaze heir was also the Kyūbi Jinchūriki that he hadn't even taken a moment to question the alternative. Even in their short window of observation, there had been enough mirrored similarities to his and Rōshi's lives as Jinchūriki that the likelihood of the boy not being the fox's container was astronomical.

But fate seemed to have him slated for failure, his enthusiastic haste overwhelming the common-sense decision to actually confirm their suspicions.

Now they had more than just circumstantial evidence, and given Naruto's general lack of knowledge and skill, it was hard to deny that the boy didn't seem all that likely a Jinchūriki candidate anymore. The Hidden Villages of Mist and Rock had pressed their Jinchūriki into becoming weapons as soon as they were capable; sooner in some cases. If Konoha, which possessed the strongest of the Bijū, hadn't…well, the bubble-user couldn't think of anything more surprising than not using all available resources to their fullest potential.

Despite that, he admired the boy's strength of character; if nothing else, getting up after Rōshi had delivered such a swift and brutal beatdown was impressive. Foolhardy, given how badly the redhead outclassed the boy, but admirable nonetheless.

But now the blond was far more likely to tell Konoha's superiors about his kidnapping, thus delaying his own plans to find and sway the true Jinchūriki to his side. The fact that he'd apparently used up Rōshi's tolerance on this mission was just another failure that he'd have to try and fix, and quickly.

"Oiroke no Jutsu!"

Utakata glanced over at the blond's shout and then quickly averted his eyes, embarrassed at the sight that greeted him. Naruto's transformation ploy was valid, he supposed, given that much of mankind would fall for something so…enticing (he'd certainly walked past Kiri's red light district enough times to notice man's folly in that regard), but to use it against someone who had lived the life he (and Rōshi, judging by redhead's shouting) had was misguided.

"—so stupid? _This_ is ninjutsu!"

He became aware of Rōshi's intention just a little too late, spinning around and forming seals even as he instinctively yelled, "Rōshi, don't!" The Water Release: Wild Water Wave he was preparing would never make it in time to counter the stream of lava – _Rōshi can use __Yōton?!_ – that had left the redhead's mouth, and Naruto didn't have the wherewithal gained from experience to dodge the ninjutsu in time.

The blond held up his hands in a futile movement to protect himself from the technique, and the lava split and flowed around them like it had hit an invisible barrier.

Utakata swallowed the chakra he'd prepared and stared in shock; even Rōshi was caught flat-footed, letting out a surprised, "Eh?" at the situation.

_What's going on?_ Lava manipulation wasn't completely unheard of – there was a clan in the Land of Water whose members were sometimes born with the ability to utilize either it or steam ninjutsu (though, as far as he knew, they'd been eliminated in the Bloodline Purges) – but like most kekkei genkai, it was rare. Utakata hadn't even known there were people outside the Land of Water who could use lava elemental chakra until this moment, and given its rarity, it was probably the ability granted to him by the Four-Tails. The odds of finding someone else who could do it – especially within a _third_ Hidden Village – were astronomical.

It's not so strange if he is the Kyūbi Jinchūriki.

Utakata flinched at the unseen voice, a startled, "What?" escaping his lips and drawing a dark look from Rōshi. After being his only companion for the long months he'd been gone from the Hidden Mist, Saiken had been silent since he'd met Rōshi. The slug's burbling, boyish voice was welcome, if surprising, though the way he delivered that tidbit of information sounded almost…bitter. _What do you mean?_

The Kyūbi's power is…different. While the rest of us Bijū are a physical manifestation of some aspect of the natural world, the Kyūbi is more. All. Humans describe him as a natural disaster because they cannot fathom his ability to manipulate all the different components of the natural world. Just because he can use our powers, he thinks he can lord it over us…

_Ah. _Now the bubble-user understood the slug's bitterness. To have the powers you prided yourself on usurped by another and potentially perverted against you sounded as aggravating as it was dangerous.

Despite that, Utakata felt a swell of excitement bubble within him again. Saiken had essentially confirmed it; Naruto _was_ the Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi.

On the one hand, it was a relief to know that he and Rōshi hadn't made a mistake in targeting the blond, but on the other, Naruto was not at all what he'd expected when he'd started his mission. The bubble-user had been a Jōnin by age 14, and Yagura had been appointed Mizukage the same year. Given the way Rōshi talked, it probably wasn't too far a stretch to assume that his history wasn't all that different from that of the two Mist Jinchūriki.

He walked over to the scowling Rōshi, grabbed his arm, and pulled him out of the blond's earshot. "He's the Kyūbi Jinchūriki."

Rōshi scoffed. "What, jus' 'cause he can use Yōton?"

"Saiken told me he can use the powers of the other Bijū." When Rōshi's eyebrows furrowed in skeptical incomprehension, Utakata sighed and prompted, "The Rokubi?"

The redhead nodded, though the gesture gave Utakata the distinct impression that he was being patronized. "Ah, right, yer friends with yer Bijū."

"Are you listening to me?" he demanded. "He can copy the abilities of the other Bijū. We found him!"

Rōshi raised an eyebrow. "An'? Did yeh see 'im fight? He's useless. Don' even know what he is. Mebbe yeh found 'im, _good job_," he added sarcastically, "but he ain't trained."

Utakata was silent for a long moment, digesting his companion's words. Rōshi hadn't said anything that wasn't true or that he himself hadn't seen with his own eyes, but the strength of the Kyūbi couldn't be ignored. Naruto's abilities also provided a solid basis for potentially finding the other Jinchūriki via a pseudo-osmosis (as much of a long shot as _that_ was). _We need to take advantage of this opportunity… _"We'll train him," he decided.

Rōshi spared him a flat look. "No."

"Why not?"

"He's stupid, ain't even a Genin, an' I ain't wastin' my time helpin' some Konoha brat," spat the redhead.

"Do you have something better to do?" Rōshi could only scowl at the question, and so Utakata admitted, "This isn't exactly my ideal situation either. You think I want to be stuck here training someone from scratch?" He thought briefly of Hotaru, and how he'd rewarded her hospitality by dashing her hopes of being trained to be a kunoichi. _This is different,_ he told himself. _We _need _the Kyūbi on our side. For Yagura._ "It's not like I've ever trained someone either—"

"Who said I ain't trained someone?" the Iwa-nin snapped.

Utakata blinked in surprise, everything he'd learned about his companion contrary to the idea of being a mentor to someone. Deciding that it was better not to pursue that line of questioning while the older Jinchūriki was still riled up, he gently pressed, "Look, he's got no one else, and we need all the help we can get. At least if we train him, we know it'll get done right, even if we have to do it from the beginning. Plus, he's got _our_ abilities. Who else is better suited to train him? Besides," he added, almost as an afterthought, "you know that you can't take on Akatsuki by yourself—"

"I still have a village," Rōshi argued, though the bite in his voice sounded like it had dulled, just a little. He placed his right hand in his pocket and appeared to squeeze something there for several seconds before grunting, "Fine, have it yer way. I'll stay."

"You will?" _That worked?_

"But yeh can't interfere with how I train 'im, got it?"

The brunet immediately nodded his assent, relief at his success evident in the slouching of his shoulders. "Just don't go overboard," he said before walking over to where Naruto had collapsed in apparent shell shock. Softly, as to not startle him, the Kiri-nin said the boy's name, garnering his wide-eyed attention. "Sorry about all of this. My name's Utakata; you've already met Rōshi."

"Stupid old man," the blond grumbled, his normal feistiness returning to him.

"Idiot brat."

"Yes, well…" Utakata interjected awkwardly, unsure how to break the disdain brewing between the pair, "we clearly got off on the wrong foot, but contrary to what you might believe, we're not here to hurt you. If you'd allow us, we'd like to train you to become a better shinobi."

Naruto's crystal blue eyes were suddenly alight with wild enthusiasm. He jumped to his feet in excitement. "Really?"

Utakata nodded. "Yes. We're like you, Naruto. Jinchūriki. Humans who contain the power of the Bijū," he elaborated at the blond's confused expression.

"Are yeh gonna tell 'im all our secrets?" Rōshi interjected snidely.

"He needs to trust us," the brunet replied, sparing his companion a flat look, "and since you decided to try cooking him…well, desperate times." He graced Naruto with a gentle smile. "Sorry about that. As I was saying, we're all Jinchūriki. I have the Rokubi, Rōshi has the Yonbi…" he hesitated before continuing, not sure how the boy would react to such a bombshell, then continued on, "and you contain the Kyūbi."

"But…the Yondaime killed the Kyūbi…"

Rōshi let out a cruel bark of laughter. "_Hah! _An' yeh believe that crap?"

The Kiri-nin shot the older male a warning look; Rōshi grunted, annoyed at the silent reprimand, but said nothing else. Utakata found himself grateful (and hopeful) that the redhead was actually obeying his silent directives. To Naruto, he gently explained, "That's merely a story that was made up to cover what really happened. The Bijū can't be killed. From what I've heard of his reputation, the Yondaime Hokage was a sealing genius. It's likely that he was able to seal the Kyūbi inside you."

"But…why me?"

The brunet hesitated again before slowly replying, "Well…we can't know any of this for sure, but Jinchūriki typically aren't chosen at random. In order to ensure their loyalty, they're normally connected in some respect to their village's Kage or leadership. According to Rōshi, you bear a strong resemblance to the Yondaime, so it's possible that you're his son—"

Naruto's expression, which had grown progressively more somber as the bubble-user's explanations had dragged on, flipped back to excited with impressive alacrity. "Really?! So you weren't lyin' earlier? That's _awesome_!"

Utakata watched the blond with a critical eye as he considered how to proceed. He'd never met someone like Naruto, who seemed to take everything in stride and bounced back from bad news like he was elastic. It was unnerving in a way; the brunet was used to dealing with the suspicious but straight-shooting people of Kiri, and he'd even started adjusting to Rōshi's mocking skepticism (tolerance for it notwithstanding). But Naruto hadn't gone through the same type of training – being raised as a weapon – even as it seemed like he'd dealt with the typical backlash associated with being a Jinchūriki, and thus their mindsets were apparently quite different. That they'd all been raised in separate villages with varying societal and cultural outlooks probably didn't help either.

_I wish I could tell if his unique persona is good for us or not._

He once again drew the younger boy's attention with a single utterance of his name. When blue eyes focused on him, he said, "You can't tell anyone about any of this. Or us."

"Eh? How come?"

_He's disappointed again. He's far too transparent. _"If no one's told you any of this before, there's probably a reason."

"Prob'bly not a good one," Rōshi grumbled.

Utakata continued as if he hadn't been interrupted, even if he agreed with the sentiment. "Your relationship to the Yondaime Hokage might not even be real, we don't know. But if you told people, it would raise suspicion about how you came across information you're not supposed to know. As for us…" He shot a glance at Rōshi before saying, "It's generally…frowned upon…to have contact with foreigners. Konoha wouldn't react well if anyone knew that you're talking with us." _Especially Rōshi._ Konoha's history with the Hidden Rock was well-documented, but given the extent (or lack thereof) of the youngest Jinchūriki's education, it was possible he wasn't aware of the tension between the two villages. _If that's the case, I'm not going to be the one to tell him._

Naruto almost looked to be pouting, but then his expression soured. "Not like there's anyone to tell," he muttered, scuffing the ground with his shoe.

The Kiri-nin offered the boy a wan smile. "I know. _We _know. But I'm just telling you as a precaution: you can't tell anyone about us. We'll find a way to meet with you without attracting undue attention, but you'll have to do your part as well." _Maybe couching it as training will help. _"A good shinobi knows how to keep secrets. Do you think you can do that?" Naruto's head bobbed up and down with such vigorous enthusiasm Utakata thought he might give himself whiplash. "Good. Then we'll see you tomorrow."

"We're not gonna start now?"

"Uh, well—"

"We'll start now," Rōshi interrupted, cracking his knuckles and moving towards the younger pair.

"Rōshi—"

"Yeh said yeh'd let me do it my way." Utakata fell silent, acquiescing to the older Jinchūriki's subtle warning. "'Sides, we need ter see what we're dealin' with." He returned his attention to Naruto. "So, what can yeh do?"

Naruto glared back, but at Utakata's nod, he relaxed a fraction and put his hands in a familiar seal. "Oiroke—!"

"None o' that!" Rōshi barked. "Yeh ain't usin' that jutsu no more. Don' tell me yeh don' know nothin' else?"

The blond lowered his hands and crossed his arms, scowling at the Iwa-nin. "I can do Kawarimi and Henge, too!"

The redhead snorted. "Aye, who can't? What else?"

A flush colored Naruto's cheeks, his teeth grit together in anger. "I can also make a Bunshin! Uh, kinda…"

"How do you _kind of_ make a Bunshin?"

"An' that's all?" Rōshi asked again. "Tch, Konoha's gotten weak. Like learnin' Bunshin's gonna help yeh in a fight."

Naruto graced the redhead with a look that warred between skepticism and hope. "Really? I don't need to know how to make a Bunshin?"

"Are you not going to elaborate on how you _kind of _make a Bunshin?"

"Hn. Yeh'll learn how ter make a Bunshin," Rōshi asserted, "it'll jus' be a useful one. Tsuchi, prob'bly, an' he can prob'bly teach yeh Mizu," he added, jerking his thumb at Utakata, who threw his hands in the air and mumbled something about being ignored. The redhead's lips quirked, a momentary flicker of amusement at the brunet's expense.

Naruto, watching the older man with rapt attention, caught the gesture. For a second, the redhead's gruff exterior disappeared, and in that moment, he almost seemed human, more than the hatred and irritation that radiated from his body like the warmth of the sun. _Maybe he's not so bad… _After all, Rōshi _was_ willing to train the blond, and he didn't even care that he couldn't perform the Clone Technique, the one thing which had held him back from becoming a Leaf shinobi in the first place.

"What're yeh lookin' at?"

The blond crossed his arms, turning his head and closing his eyes so he was no longer looking at the older man. "Nothin'," he muttered. _Tch, he's still a jerk._

A closed fist striking the back of his head had him whirling on the spot, a snarl on his lips. Rōshi's narrow-eyed stare greeted him. "Respect yer elders, brat," he criticized.

"Oh yeah?!"

"O-_kay_," Utakata interjected, stepping between the pair and placing them both at arm's length. They continued to shoot daggers at each other around the brunet's billowing kimono, and he realized that he was the tallest of the trio. _I'll take whatever advantage I've got. _"Like I was saying, let's call it a day for now." Rōshi snorted, but this time didn't override the teenager's suggestion. "Great. Naruto, a word?"

He hobbled out of the redhead's earshot, the blond following at a sedate pace. Golden eyes darted over to where Rōshi was standing; blue eyes followed the movement, scowling in the purple-clad man's direction as one hand came up to rub at the spot he'd been hit. "Does it hurt?"

"No," Naruto mumbled with just a tinge of embarrassment. "Just…_stupid_…"

The brunet placed a hand upon the younger boy's shoulder. "I know it's tough, _really,_ I do, but you should try to get along with Rōshi. He'll be teaching you as much as I will."

Naruto crossed his arms over his chest, lips twisting into a pout as if to protest what he thought of that idea. "Why can't you just teach me?"

"I will be," the Kiri-nin assured him, "but as you may have noticed, Rōshi's quite strong. He's definitely stronger than me. If you want to learn how to be a strong shinobi, you'll need to listen to him."

There was a long moment of silence in which the blond seemed to be weighing his options before finally grumbling, "…Fine."

Utakata spared him a weak smile of gratitude, which the Leaf native tentatively returned. "Thank you." Then he turned his attention to the Iwa-nin and asked in a louder voice, "Rōshi, can you take him back?"

"Are yeh givin' me a choice?" At the Mist Jinchūriki's unchanging expression, the redhead growled and walked over. "Fine." Unbidden, he placed a heavy hand on the blond's shoulder, a too-strong grip that caused the boy to flinch. Then they sank into the ground.

Utakata stared at the spot they'd disappeared in silence. _Until tomorrow, Naruto._

-l-l-l-

The journey back into Konoha proper was much less disorienting the second time around, probably because Naruto actually knew what was happening. They surfaced from the earth within a thicket of trees that the blond hoped was somewhere within the village. Rōshi immediately released him and shoved him away. "Playground's over there," he grunted, pointing in the direction of the thinning tree line. "Meet here tomorrow mornin'. Make sure yer not followed."

Naruto crossed his arms in an act of defiance and petulantly muttered, "Utakata already said not to let anyone know about you guys."

"Well I'm remindin' yeh," Rōshi snapped. "Yeh've already proven yer a stupid brat, yeh prob'bly don' listen ter what yer told."

The blond opened his mouth to argue, but then Utakata's words about getting along with the older man resurfaced, and he shut it before any words could escape. "I'll be careful," he promised, tone trite but sincere.

Rōshi appeared taken aback at his abrupt change in attitude, but quickly schooled his features back into the scowl that seemed a permanent fixture of his face. "Hn. We'll see." Then he disappeared back into the ground, and Naruto was once again alone.

Still, despite the solitude, the blond found his cheeks spreading into a wide grin. It no longer mattered that he'd failed out of the Academy, because Utakata had promised he and Rōshi would train him to be a shinobi. A great shinobi, like the Yondaime Hokage. _My dad!_

Naruto began the walk to his apartment with a new spring in his step, one fist pumping the air. _I'm gonna be the next Hokage for sure, believe it!_


	4. The Monkey's Tutelage

_"C'mon oji-san, teach me, teach me! Pleeease?"_

_Rōshi glanced down at the six-year-old, a rare smile stretching his lips at the determination in her pupil-less pink eyes. It had been a long time since someone had asked for his assistance, and it had certainly never been done so politely or adorably. "Aye, fine, I'll git yeh started." It wasn't like her father could teach her, what with his lack of a dual earth/fire affinity, and her grandfather was likely too busy – or some other such bullshit – to invest the effort in her training._

_Besides, after over 30 years of near-permanent isolation, it felt…nice…to be needed by someone._

_"Here's how yeh do it. Doton chakra in one hand," he demonstrated, bringing up said appendage in a half-seal, "Katon in th' other—" his other hand came up to complete the seal, bringing his fingers together in a roughly triangular shape, hands held in the sign of the bird, "—an' then yeh got ter mix 'em t'gether." His cheeks bulged out briefly before a blazing stream of lava escaped his lips to splatter across the barren soil. "Jus' like that."_

_His young protégé tried to copy his directions, but only succeeded in expelling a small flame instead. She frowned at her teacher's amused laugh, features scrunched together in childish petulance. "Oji-san!" she whined, stomping one foot against the ground. "It didn't work!"_

_Rōshi patted her head; he couldn't remember the last time he'd found something to laugh at, but he was overstaying his welcome, and there wasn't too much more he could do for her until her chakra control was better developed. "Keep tryin'," he advised. "It'll come ter yeh."_

-l-l-l-

"Yer plan won't work."

Utakata looked up from where he was poking the fire with a stick, pulled from his thoughts. "Hm?"

"Th' brat," Rōshi continued, knowing the blue-clad boy had heard him. "He's stupid. Namikaze was a genius, an' a terror in battle; he woulda never stooped ter usin' some stupid jutsu that turns yeh inter a naked woman in a fight. Even if they're related, th' brat—"

"Naruto."

"—didn' git his smarts. Hell, he didn' even know who Namikaze was! Yeh can't tell me that Konoha don' teach its students history, which means th' brat—"

"Naruto."

"—don' pay atten—stop correctin' me!" Rōshi snapped.

Utakata laced his fingers together and rested his chin on his hands, leveling an even stare at his companion. "He has a name. Use it."

"Why? He ain't here."

"It's the principle of the thing, Rōshi," he explained patiently. "We're trying to get him on our side, and insulting him isn't going to do that. Try to treat him like a human being—"

The Iwa-nin let out a cruel bark of laughter. "Human bein'? No Jinchūriki gets treated like a human bein'. _That's_ th' sacrifice."

Utakata was quiet for a long moment before softly saying, "Yagura and I—"

"Are special, so yeh've said," Rōshi interrupted snidely. "But fer th' rest o' us, there ain't nothin' but war an' hardship. We learned long ago that we. Ain't. Human!"

The fire lent a glint to the redhead's dark eyes, giving them the appearance of smooth, hard stone, like black obsidian. Utakata's one visible golden iris, keen and observant, was angled up, and Rōshi realized that he'd worked himself into a literal towering rage, his 4'10" figure hovering angrily over his companion. Seating himself once more, he inhaled the smoke drifting off their campfire, finding a fraction of solace with the action; Konoha's trees were nothing like the scarce, hardy vegetation that decorated the Land of Earth's mountains, and the scent they gave off when burned was far more aromatic and soothing. Gruffly, almost as an afterthought, he added, "An' stop sayin' we're on th' same side."

"You stayed, didn't you? Actions speak louder than words."

"Pft. Yer full o' pretty lines, ain't yeh?"

"Is it too much to ask for you to _not _be sarcastic? What happened to you?"

A dark, humorless smirk twisted the redhead's lips. "Yeh _really_ want ter know? Yeh want ter know what happened ter th' Tsuchikage's son?" he sneered, and Utakata started at the admission, surprised that his companion had divulged such an important piece of his history. "Aye, he'll never say so, but it's true. Yeh've heard o' th' Nidaime Tsuchikage?"

Utakata nodded. The rivalry between the Second Tsuchikage and Second Mizukage was legendary, and according to the Hidden Mist's historical records, the Hidden Rock's leader had been able to completely disguise his presence from even the best sensors. That the Nidaime Mizukage had been able to go toe-to-toe with him spoke volumes of both their skills. "'Mujin'," Rōshi grunted. "That's what people called 'im."

The Non-Person… _Sounds about right._

"He was ruthless," Rōshi continued. "Willin' ter do anythin' ter make Iwa successful, includin' sealin' a Bijū inter his student's kid. We needed a weapon ter win th' upcomin' war, he said, an' I was that weapon."

"Wait, what upcoming war?"

Rōshi barked a bitter laugh. "There wasn't one, not that it stopped Mū from gettin' as much power as he could. Th' Second Shinobi World War didn' start fer three years. Don' matter none. People were always weapons, but bein' a Jinchūriki, I wasn't jus' a weapon."

"You were a demon, right?" At Rōshi's raised eyebrow, Utakata added, "You're not unique in that regard." The redhead scowled at him, and the Kiri-nin managed to look abashed. "Sorry. You were saying?"

"No one wanted ter be 'round someone with a demon in 'em, so I got Ōnoki ter let me leave th' village ter train."

"So you've been by yourself for, what, 30 years?"

"40," Roshi corrected with a grunt. Surprise flitted across the brunet's features, and the Iwa-nin allowed himself an amused smirk; at this point, throwing off the Kiri-nin was almost like a game. "Aye, I don' look it, do I?"

"No."

"Don' matter none. I got a _leash_." Rōshi dug into his pocket and then pulled out his hand, opening it to reveal a smooth river rock, about one and a half inches in diameter. The character for 'four' was carved into its surface in neat kanji.

"How often did you go back?"

"Too often," grunted the Iwa-nin. "Yeh think they'd jus' let their weapon live in peace? When Suna's Jinchūriki attacked, who d'yeh think fought 'im? When th' Gobi attacked, who had ter stop it? When th' Third Shinobi World War was goin', who did th' Tsuchikage call ter turn th' tide, eh? Aye, I went back. Ev'ry time that old bastard needed a weapon, I was there ter fight, an' ev'ry time they got rid o' me fast as they could. Didn' want people scared o' me bein' in town, or what'd happen if I stayed too long. Like I'd explode or somethin'," he sneered.

"I'm surprised you didn't refuse," Utakata admitted. "You seem stubborn and…ornery."

"Better th' enemy yeh know than th' one yeh don'. An' I still got my pride as a shinobi. So long as I responded ter th' call, they left me alone." A pre-teen girl with pupil-less pink eyes and dark hair in a pixie cut, the last image he had of her, floated to the forefront of his mind. _An' they won't find someone else ter be th' Jinchūriki._

Ōnoki had allowed his own son to become a demon to placate the priorities of a man hellbent on controlling everything he could; he'd do the same to his granddaughter if it was to the Hidden Rock's benefit.

"Seems…lonely." _Not that I'm one to judge. _"You said you left to train, but every time I mention that I talk with Saiken, you just laugh at me. You're telling me that after 40 years in solitude, you didn't connect with your Bijū?"

"Th' damn monkey ruined my life," snapped the redhead. "Yeh think I was gonna play nice with 'im? We had one talk. One. After that, I learned ter use his powers on my own."

_To great effect, if he could take out an oinin squad led by Kushimaru._

Silence fell between the two, the older Jinchūriki staring into the fire, lost in his memories, while his counterpart digested his tale. Utakata could understand and relate to much of the Rock shinobi's story; it seemed to be the same tale of woe that was commonplace among Jinchūriki. The only difference was that the brown-haired boy had had Yagura to guide him and provide a modicum of kinship in his youth, with even his master Harusame serving as a (distant) parental figure in place of his deceased parents.

Alternatively, Rōshi's family had forsaken him, and the years of isolation had sheltered him from any additional relationships, including one with his Bijū. _Products of different times, _Utakata mused. "Based on what you've said…Iwa won't defend you if Akatsuki attacks, will it?" he hypothesized.

"Tch. Ōnoki's afraid o' 'em. Won't help 'im any ter fight 'em if they come fer me."

_You told me you still had a village. Who were you trying to convince? _"Is that why you're here? Are you afraid—?"

"I ain't afraid o' nothin'," the Iwa-nin snarled.

Utakata held up his hands to indicate he hadn't meant offense. "Sorry, I didn't mean to imply anything. I just mean…maybe you realize that we're your best chance going forward."

"What d'yeh mean 'we'? Yer hurt and th' stupid brat can't help with nothin'," Rōshi retorted. "An' don' pretend yer intentions're pure. Yer doin' this fer yer _friend._"

The renegade Kiri-nin frowned at his companion's sarcasm, but couldn't find the wherewithal to refute the claim. _He's right. Stubborn, too. Sure of himself. And no wonder. He's lived my life three times over, and everything he's experienced has indicated he can't trust anyone. Is there a way to get through to him?_

"You're right," Utakata admitted, and the older Jinchūriki's dark eyes narrowed slightly, one eyebrow arching in disbelief. "But that shouldn't be all this is about. _Our_ lives are on the line. His, too," he added, gesturing in the general direction of Konoha. "I know you're set in your ways; I am, too. But if we're going to survive this, we're both going to have to make an effort here." A grunt was his only response, so he continued, "This isn't Iwa or Kiri, and it looks like Naruto will need all the help he can get. Can you _please_ try to be less…I don't know, hostile? You get more flies with honey than vinegar."

"No yeh don'."

"It's a _saying_ that—never mind. The point is, it would be better for everyone if you could just…tone it down a little. If it helps, pretend Naruto's like the first person you trained." _Whoever that is._

Rōshi remained silent, the firelight flickering within his dark eyes. Utakata heaved a sigh, wondering if the matter was a lost cause, when the Iwa-nin finally grunted, "I promise nothin'."

This time, the bubble-user's sigh contained more relief than weariness. _I guess that's as good as I'll get for now._

-l-l-l-

Uzumaki Naruto woke up earlier than normal, his body thrumming with energy. Strangely, he'd slept sporadically through the night, the idea of receiving personalized ninja training, and his meeting with Utakata and Rōshi, keeping him in a state of excitement as the hours passed, no matter that one of his tutors was a cranky old man. _At least Utakata's nice,_ he thought, stripping out of his pajamas and throwing on his usual orange pants and jacket.

_Not like Rōshi'll treat me any worse than the villagers do for bein' a…a…_

_Jinchūriki…_ That's what Utakata had called him. Called all three of them. A power of human sacrifice.

_Is that what I am?_ _A sacrifice?_

He wasn't sure what that meant, but it _did_ seem to make sense that the one thing that made him different from others would _also_ make other people treat him differently. That still didn't explain what about his situation – why being a Jinchūriki – made people hate him so much, but at least the cause was now apparent.

Somehow, that knowledge gave him the power to ignore the harsh glares the villagers bestowed upon him as he left his apartment and wandered through the village. Before, not knowing why he'd been hated by everyone, why he had no family, had been a primary source of his sadness and solitude. Now that he had answers – he was the Jinchūriki to the Kyūbi and his father was the Yondaime Hokage – it felt like a new version of himself had been born and was ready to lead the life he'd always wanted.

Granted, he still had questions – for instance, who was his mother, and what had happened to her? – but his new companions had sworn him to secrecy, and there was only one person who might have the answers. But the Third Hokage was smart enough to ask him where he'd learned information as sensitive as being a Jinchūriki or who his father was, and then who knew what would happen to the two foreign Jinchūriki who had promised to teach him.

_Something bad,_ he guessed. And then his training opportunity would be gone.

But as strange as it sounded, as dangerous as it might have been for Konoha, Naruto didn't _want_ to betray the confidence of either Jinchūriki. All his life, he'd sought someone who understood him, someone he could empathize with. At age eight, he'd tried to befriend Uchiha Sasuke, who'd been just as alone and isolated as him following the massacre of his entire clan. But both boys had been stubborn – still were, to be honest – and their mutual solitude had bred competitiveness, not understanding.

Now he finally had people who understood him, friends all his own.

Well, friend, anyway. Even if Utakata seemed cool with him, Rōshi definitely didn't, though not in the same way Konoha's citizens didn't like him. The redhead's dislike didn't seem personal, not like everyone else's. He reminded Naruto a little of the priest character in the manga with the demons going out of control – grumpy and irritable, but not necessarily at anyone in particular.

"So, yeh finally made it."

Naruto jumped at the voice, the subject of his thoughts rising from the dirt before him as if summoned. Surprise fading, he thumbed his chest and proclaimed, "Of course! The future Hokage never—"

"Aye, shut up."

Naruto scowled at the interruption, but the expression fell quickly when Rōshi placed a hand on his shoulder and dragged them both underground, cutting short his yelp of surprise.

They surfaced in the same clearing as the previous day after a short period of darkness, the redhead shoving the young boy away with a rough hand. Naruto released another small yelp as he stumbled forward, catching himself after a couple of steps. He turned and opened his mouth to say something, but Utakata's blue kimono caught his eyes, the brunet offering him a brief smile in greeting. "Good morning, Naruto."

The teenager's kindness was infectious, and Naruto found himself returning the gesture with a wider grin. "Hey Utakata! So what're ya gonna teach me?"

"How ter fight," Rōshi grunted from behind him.

Naruto couldn't repress the shiver that ran down his spine at the older man's answer. One hand gravitated towards his stomach, where the other Jinchūriki had delivered a brutal beating just yesterday. "Uhh…"

The Iwa-nin's hand fell upon his shoulder again, its weight an imposing presence. Naruto felt his whole body tremble. "Don't worry," Rōshi said in a voice that wasn't remotely reassuring, "Yeh won't fight me. Yeh'll fight 'im," he finished, jerking his thumb at Utakata.

"Eh?"

"Sorry, what?"

Rōshi shrugged carelessly, a gesture only Utakata saw with Naruto's wide blue eyes fixated on him. "Yeh said ter take it easy on 'im. His taijutsu sucks—"

_"Hey!"_

"—an' yeh don' seem like a big hand-ter-hand fighter…'specially now."

Utakata grimaced, but conceded that Rōshi had a surprisingly perceptive eye. While he could hold his own in a physical fight, Saiken's unique capabilities accentuating his abilities to dodge and weave, his specialty was in ninjutsu. And given that he was still using Nuibari as a crutch… "Is this _really_ the best idea?"

Another shrug, this time accompanied by the briefest of smirks. "Dunno. Closest we got ter an even match."

Utakata's eyes narrowed._ You're enjoying yourself, aren't you? Prick._

"I can't train 'im without knowin' where ter start. This's th' best way."

Golden eyes darted over to Naruto, standing between the two foreign Jinchūriki with an expression somewhere between nervous and impatient. _We need him. For Yagura. _He sighed before nodding. "Fine."

Rōshi clapped his hands together. "Then let's start. Fight." Naruto shot Utakata a hesitant look – _afraid to attack me?_ the brunet wondered – and after several seconds of stillness, the Iwa-nin barked, "Now!"

Naruto rushed forward at the demand, throwing a punch at the Rokubi Jinchūriki. Utakata maneuvered himself out of the blond's way with surprising ease, using Nuibari as a fulcrum. He tapped Naruto's back with a closed fist as the boy's momentum carried him past the brunet's position, marking a point for himself.

The Konoha native bent low and tried to sweep his opponent's legs, but the Kiri-nin placed the chōtō in the way, and his foot struck metal. Naruto bounded up and attempted to land an uppercut, but Utakata shuffled backwards, raising Nuibari and whacking the boy's side with it. He yipped at the contact, rubbing at the spot with his other hand.

"Enough!" Both boys stopped and looked over to Rōshi, head buried in his hand to conceal what Utakata hoped was embarrassment (on the blond's behalf) and not irritation. "Yer form's awful," he barked. "Who taught yeh taijutsu? No, don' care," he continued when Naruto opened his mouth to respond. "Firs' lesson: take advantage o' weaknesses."

He blazed towards Utakata as the last word fell from his lips, one heavy fist slamming into the brunet's side. The Mist Jinchūriki hollered in pain, doubling over as the injury from Kushimaru flared from the blow. Rōshi brought his fists together and brought them down in a hammer-blow that left the teenager splayed flat on the ground, gasping into the dirt. "Ass…_hole_," he wheezed, turning his face to the side to glare at the Iwa-nin. "Did…you…_really_—"

"Aye." Rōshi grinned, that same smug, self-satisfied smirk Utakata was getting used to seeing when the redhead was enjoying himself because he knew he'd gotten the best of someone. He turned his back on the floored teenager and told Naruto, "See? _That's_ how yeh fight."

Blue eyes flickered between the redhead and Utakata's prone body. "Uh, is that really—"

_"Aye,"_ Rōshi stressed, a tinge of annoyance coloring his tone. "Yeh do what yeh got ter do ter win."

"But you're beatin' up someone who's hurt!"

"Jus' 'cause he's hurt don' mean he ain't dangerous. 'Specially 'cause he's a Jinchūriki. Don' drop yer guard 'round a Jinchūriki." Each word was enunciated with care, a hint of warning in every syllable.

"He's…not wrong," managed Utakata. He'd clambered to his feet during the pair's exchange, though he still appeared unsteady, hunched over with both hands clasped around Nuibari. "You have to treat every battle…like it's life or death. That's what it means…to be a shinobi."

It was one of the lessons the Hidden Mist's Academy taught, a lesson that had been taken too far in some cases. That Utakata had never been all that adept at following through at it was a story all its own, but Rōshi – who had lived through several wars – being a firm believer in that lesson wasn't all that surprising. "If I had done better, I wouldn't be in this position," he admitted. _Maybe it's time to change that._ He nodded imperceptibly to the Iwa-nin, a minor acknowledgement of the older man's tutelage.

While his tactics were crude and painful, they were effective.

If Rōshi noticed his companion's gratitude, he didn't mention it. Instead, he told Naruto, "Yeh need ter work on yer fightin' style."

The blond made a face, crossing his arms over his chest. "Taijutsu's boring." Quieter, he grumbled, "And no one wants to practice with me…"

Rōshi bristled. "Borin'? Taijutsu's th' bread an' butter o' fightin'. Yeh won't git anywhere with Yōton 'less yeh know taijutsu." His chakra flared with his temper, body becoming embroiled in a second skin of hot red and yellow. Both boys took an involuntary step backwards at the heat exuding off the older Jinchūriki. "Try an' attack."

Naruto visibly hesitated before shaking his head. Utakata felt an iota of respect for the blond's increased situational awareness. "I think he gets the point."

The Iwa-nin released his jutsu. "Yeh can't hit what yeh can't touch."

Naruto appeared to be almost vibrating in place, hesitation forgotten, excitement exuding off his form. "So when can I learn _that?"_

"Taijutsu first," Rōshi grunted.

_"Aww._ Lame!"

"Ninjutsu's harder to learn than taijutsu," Utakata placated. At the blond's dispirited expression, he offered the boy a small smile and added, "Don't worry, we're here to practice taijutsu with you."

Naruto returned the gesture, a grateful orphan finding a helping hand in the dark. For a moment, Utakata saw himself in the blond, the lonely Jinchūriki shunned by the village he served. He wondered if Rōshi understood what that was like; decades of isolation had likely dulled the redhead's tether to humanity enough that Naruto's quest for companionship didn't make sense to him.

But Utakata was still young, still afflicted by a village who had looked at him every day and seen a monster, a nightmare from the past, and the blond's scenario was just a slightly distorted reflection of that.

Rōshi's bark of "Stand straight!" tore the brunet from his reverie. Naruto's form stiffened automatically, arms clapped against his sides. Utakata coughed to hide his amusement at the boy's reaction, watching as the redhead approached from behind and placed his hands on the blond's arms, maneuvering his limbs to different positions. "Put yer arms like this. Legs apart."

Naruto's brows furrowed in concentration as the lava-user barked commands at him, correcting the way he held himself. The personal attention was beyond strange, it was…unfamiliar. New. There wasn't any sort of affection behind it, but he wasn't super surprised given Rōshi's gruff persona. Utakata was genial enough to make up for it, even if he was currently taking a more hands-off approach.

_It's only the first day._

"Pay attention!"

"Ow!" He rubbed the back of his head, massaging the spot Rōshi had clocked.

"Git over it," the Iwa-nin grunted. A mound of earth rose from the ground in front of them and shaped itself into his likeness. "Set up like I tol' yeh. Now, follow my lead."

He stepped forward with his left foot, driving his right fist into his clone's chest. Hunching slightly, he brought his other foot forward in a giant step, lowering his shoulder and extending his left arm. A backwards spin completed the motion, left fist coming around in a powerful hammer-blow to his doppelganger's neck. The earth clone flew to the side, smashing against a tree and breaking into clods of dirt.

The entire kata took less than two seconds.

Rōshi turned around, gracing Naruto with an annoyed look. "Yeh didn' move."

"That was _awesome_."

"Simple's what it was." A second earth clone rose from the ground before the blond. "Yer turn."

Naruto took a deep breath and set himself up as Rōshi had shown him. He stepped into the kata, thrusting his fist forward in a punch. Clone-Rōshi didn't budge, and the blond's next move carried him too far inside the duplicate's guard, his follow-up punch losing some of its strength. Grappling for victory, his spin-kick ended with one knee caught between the redhead's bicep and side, and he tugged fruitlessly to try to free himself.

Clone-Rōshi yanked on his leg to draw him closer, grabbed him around the torso, bent over backwards, and slammed him into the ground behind him.

Amid his coughing and groaning, Naruto could still hear Rōshi snort. "Tch, pathetic. Yer too weak."

Anger coursed through the blond's veins, spurring him back to his feet. "Am not!"

As if to prove his point, he charged the real redhead, sliding through the same motions he'd been taught. Rōshi sidestepped the first punch, catching the boy's left wrist and wrenching it behind his back in one smooth move. Naruto released a yell of pain that was aborted as the Iwa-nin leaned his weight into the hold, pushing him to the earth. "Yeh ain't provin' me wrong 'bout yer smarts."

Naruto's nostrils flared, angry exhales causing puffs of dust to float into the air. His mouth stayed closed, taking care not to ingest any dirt. _Rrr, s__tupid old man…_

The older Jinchūriki's weight disappeared, and Naruto raised himself to his feet, wary of another attack. Rōshi did nothing but stand back and watch, arms crossed over his chest, dark eyes hard and unreadable. Naruto growled in his direction. "I'm not stupid! I'm gonna be the Hokage someday!"

"Aye, an' I'm a daimyō."

He growled again, fists clenched at his sides; the redhead's constant mocking, impersonal as it seemed, was getting tiresome. One foot was already posed to move in his direction and show him what-for when Utakata's voice stopped him. "Naruto, we're not doubting you—"

Rōshi snorted.

"—or rather your commitment to becoming Hokage," the brunet corrected, "but you understand that it's a long, hard journey, don't you? Just saying that you'll become the Hokage doesn't make it true, and your current abilities leave a lot to be desired."

"But—!"

_"But,"_ he continued over the blond's protest, "it's not impossible." Utakata saw Rōshi roll his eyes, though Naruto, attention on the Kiri-nin, missed the gesture. "I have a friend, Yagura. He's a Jinchūriki, too, and he's the Mizukage." The brunet allowed himself a smile at the younger boy's wide blue eyes, admiration glistening nakedly in them. "Yagura practiced hard and did everything he could to make himself worthy of being Mizukage. If you do the same, maybe you really will become the Hokage."

A determined look overtook the boy's features. "Yeah, okay!"

"So, yer ready ter go again, eh?"

Naruto turned to face the redhead – or his stone-faced doppelganger – and took several seconds of care to adjust the way he held his limbs in the ready position before charging. Like before, the attack didn't appear to affect the earth clone, and the blond found himself the victim of a counterattack that left him eating dirt once more. "Again!" Rōshi barked, and the youngest Jinchūriki rose to his feet, squared himself, and attacked.

After the third time Naruto met the ground, Rōshi no longer had to issue commands to get up and try again; beaten repetitively, the blond was bouncing back quicker with each successive fall, jaw set and hands clenched into fists. Rōshi moved to stand beside Utakata, occasionally ordering slight adjustments to the boy's positioning. There was silence between the older pair for a long time, both watching the youngest Jinchūriki, until Utakata finally asked, "Do you really need to beat him up like this? We're trying to endear him to us."

_"Yer _th' one tryin' ter make 'im like yeh. That's th' whole point o' yer story, right? Tell 'im a Jinchūriki can be a Kage. I'm tryin' ter see if he's worth it."

Utakata cast him a curious side-eye. "And?"

Rōshi didn't respond, and the brunet resisted the urge to grin. That the taciturn redhead was unwilling to voice – or even gesture – a reply was telling.

Utakata sat on the ground and quietly watched as the hours passed. Naruto collected dirt and scrapes like they were worth their weight in gold, but even as Rōshi and his duplicate worked the boy ragged, tutoring him in different combinations, he bounced back with just as much vigor as before. He never managed to destroy the earth clone, but he also no longer seemed deterred or angry by his lack of progress.

_It's kind of…admirable._

Somehow, by using the promise of the Hokage title, he'd given Naruto a reason to bear Rōshi's rough tutelage and improve himself. Where he'd previously shown himself to be untrained and…blusterous, the brunet supposed…he now appeared to be taking the lessons the two Jinchūriki were offering to heart. It would take time to actually grow into the skills they were teaching, but having the seeds take root was a good step forward.

And now, as the day dragged on, Rōshi seemed just a _tad_ less surly, as if the sharp edges to his personality were eroding away. Utakata didn't know what had triggered the change – perhaps finding someone just as stubborn as him had worn him down – but he was reluctant to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially with how often he'd been bit thus far.

_Maybe I should take advantage of this,_ he mused. Taijutsu had never been a particularly strong skill of his, a fact that would be known by the Mist shinobi who were chasing him. Surprising them (and/or Akatsuki) with something different might be able to shift the tide of battle.

Besides, Rōshi's lava armor didn't seem all that different from Saiken's 'gift'. He'd used the acidic properties of the slug's chakra to dissolve plenty of things in the past; why not utilize it to augment his offense? He'd just have to practice hand-to-hand without his own secondary chakra layer active, maybe even strengthen the Rokubi's 'gift' by lowering the pH even further…

Utakata shivered at the idea, the prospect both frightening and exhilarating.

"Alright," Rōshi drawled, "let's see what yeh've learned."

The brunet started as he realized his companion had approached Naruto, taking the place of the crumbling earth clone. Rōshi took a defensive stance before the beaten blond. "Well?" he grunted. "C'mon."

Whatever momentary hesitancy had gripped Naruto fell away at the invitation, the boy sliding through the different katas he'd been shown. Rōshi dodged or blocked each strike, but never retaliated, instead moving with each of Naruto's motions and allowing the blond to transition between combinations.

_His movements are better,_ Utakata observed. _He's exhausted, but even still, it's better than whatever form he was trying initially._

Rōshi kneeled and caught the kick aimed at his knee with both hands, holding Naruto's foot long enough that the blond's face twisted with the trepidation of meeting earth once more. After several long seconds, he simply let go, and Naruto stumbled backwards a pace, surprised to still be standing. "Yeh can rest," Rōshi grunted. "I ain't gonna attack."

Naruto let out a long breath and collapsed to the ground, limbs splayed outward. "Phew…"

Utakata's eyes followed Rōshi as he stalked over. When he was within earshot, the Kiri-nin whispered, "You went easy on him that time."

"…He worked hard," Rōshi offered gruffly.

To the brunet, it sounded like an excuse to justify his magnanimity. "Thanks."

"Hn."

Utakata stuck Nuibari in the ground and used it to leverage himself up, rising with a groan. He walked over to Naruto's prone form and leaned over it. "Tired?"

Blue eyes opened wide, and the blond curled himself into a sitting position. "No way. I'm ready for more!"

Utakata's lips quirked into a small smile; the Kyūbi Jinchūriki reminded him a little of when he'd been young, full of pep and vigor, before the gloom of Kiri had taken root. _His stamina's impressive, too._ "How about something a little less strenuous?"

"Like what?"

"Maybe you'd like to learn ninjutsu?"

Naruto immediately leaped to his feet, excitement gleaming in his eyes. _"Really?"_ He pumped one arm in the air. "Yes!"

Utakata chuckled at the boy's enthusiasm before growing thoughtful. "I suppose the best place to start would be with the element you're most attuned to. Do you know what that is?"

"Eh? What're you talkin' about?"

"Yeh've got ter be kiddin'—!"

Utakata turned his head to shoot Rōshi a withering look, and the redhead's outrage (thankfully) faded into grumbling. He returned his attention to Naruto, scrutinizing the blond's confused visage. _I wonder if he even _has _a primary element, since he can use whatever the Bijū can use. That's at least Doton, Katon, and Suiton… Well, since he's a blank slate, maybe it won't matter?_ "Well, most ninjutsu is elemental; that is, it uses an element of the natural world, such as water or wind, as a base. There's also ninjutsu based on manipulating the shape of your chakra…but maybe that's a lesson for another time," he decided as Naruto's features continued to scrunch in confusion.

Using the tip of the Sewing Needle, Utakata began etching kanji into the dirt as he continued, "There are five main elements: earth, water, fire, wind, and lightning. These form the basis of elemental ninjutsu: Doton, Suiton, Katon, Fūton, and Raiton." He finished his etching, pointing at the arrows linking the circle of elements. "Each element is strong and weak against another. Suiton, for instance, is strong against Katon, but weak against Doton. …Perhaps a demonstration would help," he added upon noticing the blond's waning attention. "Rōshi, can you…? Thanks."

His hands flipped through seals, and he inhaled as chakra built in his mouth. "Suiton: Mizurappa!"

Rōshi clapped his hands together before placing them on the ground. "Doton: Doryūheki."

The Earth-Style Wall that rose from the dirt soaked up Utakata's attack. The brunet turned to address a visibly more attentive blond. "See? So Rōshi used Doton to beat my Suiton—"

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu."

"—and—Suiton: Mizurappa!"

The Wild Water Wave that Utakata spat out overwhelmed the incoming Great Fireball, a cloud of steam permeating the area. When it cleared, the Kiri-nin shot the older shinobi an annoyed glare. "Really? Was that necessary?"

Rōshi shrugged. "Didn' yeh want ter show 'im th' other side?"

"Yes, but when I was _ready_, not as an ambush!"

"A shinobi should be ready fer anythin'."

There was that smug half-smirk again. _Pr__ick!_

_"Awesome! _So when can I do that?!"

Utakata fidgeted. "There's…no way of knowing," he said, voice gentle. "Training one elemental affinity could take months, maybe even years. To learn more than one, or even a dual-element like Yōton? I'm not sure."

As he spoke, some of the previous dread he recognized from the effort of his undertaking started to creep back. The idea of training Naruto from scratch had seemed reasonable in theory, but vocalizing the effort, even with him being a Jinchūriki, made it seem impossible. He chewed on his lower lip, suddenly questioning whether this idea was as feasible as he'd originally thought.

"What's a dual-element?"

"Combo," Rōshi grunted. He held out his hands, palms-up, a kernel of fire forming in one hand, a ball of mud in the other. Then he clapped them together and pulled them apart, revealing a sphere of molten red-yellow lava. For a moment, Utakata thought he was going to pitch the orb into the empty forest, but then the redhead seemed to reconsider, allowing the chakra in his palm to dissipate.

Blue eyes shifted expectantly between the Yonbi and Rokubi Jinchūriki. When neither made any move to continue their training, Naruto asked, "So when do we start?"

Utakata turned his attention to the blond, conveniently avoiding Rōshi's pointed look. "I thought I could teach you Suiton, but it's easier to learn with a natural source—"

"Easy?" Rōshi interjected. "Tch, life ain't easy. Either yeh can do it with no source, or yeh can't do it at all."

"Rōshi—"

"Watch." The redhead formed hand seals, slowly – patronizingly, Utakata thought, so Naruto could see each one – and then exhaled a third Great Fireball. "Yer turn."

Naruto's fingers twisted through the appropriate seals before he exhaled nothing but air. Rōshi let out a loud "Ha!" and the blond scowled in displeasure. "Try building your chakra in your stomach," Utakata suggested. "That's how Suiton works, anyway."

The blond made another attempt, to similar effect. Utakata couldn't tell if he'd actually taken his suggestion to heart, let alone understood it.

"Yeh can always say th' name. Helps beginners."

Naruto grit his teeth, flipped through the seals again, and shouted, "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"

Rōshi's snicker was masked by a cough when Utakata shot him a warning glare. "You shouldn't expect immediate results," he placated.

"Tch, even a kid can cough smoke."

_"Rōshi!"_ Utakata hissed.

"Coddlin' don' work," muttered the redhead as Naruto continued to flip through seals and try to exhale a Great Fireball. "Yeh got ter push 'im."

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"

"This isn't taijutsu," Utakata argued. "You can't just expect him to pick up ninjutsu like it's the same thing! We're not trying to break him."

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"

"Speak fer yerself. Konoha's trainin's made 'im stupid. He'll bend or break. Again!" Rōshi barked.

"Did _you_ learn elemental ninjutsu in a day? It takes _time,_ Rōshi!"

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"

"I learned ter fight in war. Yeh learn fast or yeh die."

"We're not _in_ a war!"

"We're _always _at war," Rōshi asserted with obstinate authority. He shot the brunet a narrow-eyed side glance. "What d'yeh call yer fight with Akatsuki, eh?"

The Kiri-nin stood, thunderstruck, as the older Jinchūriki's words settled over him. Given his asocial tendencies, he hadn't considered the lack of external conflicts indicative of any overarching world issues, especially since the Hidden Mist's problems were more internal. That Rōshi, a hermit far removed from society's normal drudgery, had an opposing perspective – a world in continuous conflict – was contrarily expected and unexpected.

_I guess it makes sense,_ he realized. After all, the Hidden Villages were in constant conflict just by taking missions that resulted in small skirmishes between opposing sides. Whatever peace existed among the villages was farcical, tentative at best. Rōshi would certainly have more experience with the triggers (and fallouts) of war than he did.

"Yer not focusin'! Mold yer chakra in yer stomach an' then breathe out."

"I'm trying! It's not working!"

"Try harder!"

_"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"_

Despite his apparent effort, no flames escaped Naruto's lips, though his face was flushed red with frustration. Utakata stepped forward as the blond placed his hands on his knees and huffed. "Naruto, you shouldn't wear yourself out—"

"Pft, is that all yeh've got? Yer pathetic."

_"Shut up!"_ Naruto shouted. "I'll show you! KATON: GŌKAKYŪ NO JUTSU!"

A small lick of flame emerged from his mouth, aimed at the redhead; Rōshi flicked it aside with a careless bat of his hand, where it settled into the earth at Utakata's feet and promptly burned out. Naruto's blue eyes were wide with surprise, and for a moment, the Iwa-nin saw the excited visage of his niece's pink eyes and agape mouth where the blond stood. He watched the younger Jinchūriki, scrutinizing him as he slowly recovered from his successful endeavor, before turning and striding towards Utakata.

He caught the brunet's golden eyes, nearly as wide as the blond's, before the Kiri-nin managed to school his features. "He did it…"

"Aye. Katon's easy ter do when yer angry."

"Did…did you _plan that?"_

Rōshi smirked at his companion's disbelief. "I tol' yeh not ter coddle 'im. Suiton's too gentle, yeh got ter start with what he knows. He's easy ter piss off an' stubborn as a rock. Katon an' Doton'll be easy."

"Unbelievable," Utakata muttered. "To think you know what you're doing. You could've just told me."

"Yeh shoulda been smart enough ter know."

_…Fair enough._ "Does this mean you're staying?"

Rōshi paused mid-step, the brunet's golden eyes fixed on his back. "I got nothin' better ter do."

-l-l-l-

Naruto was happy as he walked back to his apartment that night. At least, the smile on his face and bounce in his step made it appear that way in the crystal ball displaying his image.

"Hmm…"

"Hokage-sama?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen, Sandaime Hokage of the Hidden Leaf, looked up. An ANBU operative wearing a porcelain mask with stylized markings designed to emulate a cat stood before him, hands clasped behind his back. "May I see your Bingo Book?"

"Here you go, Hokage-sama."

The image in the crystal ball changed to show two figures – a redhead clad in loose purple and a brunet in a blue kimono – seated around a small fire. "I know of Yōton no Rōshi," said Hiruzen as he rifled through the book set on his desk. "But this boy doesn't dress as if he's from Iwagakure. Ah, here we go. Utakata from Kirigakure. A reward of 50,000 ryō for his live capture and return."

"That is quite the sizable bounty, Hokage-sama. He would likely not be easy to subdue."

"Yes, quite true, Neko. However, there is no need to worry at this time."

"Hokage-sama?"

It was to the man's credit that the incredulity in his tone was only perceptible due to years of experience. "Tell me, Neko, can you imagine a scenario in which a Jinchūriki from Iwa and a Jōnin nukenin from Kiri would work together?"

There was a long period of silence in which the ANBU operative considered the query. "If the Kiri Jōnin's nukenin status is a ruse, it could be a smokescreen to hide an alliance between Kiri and Iwa. Neither are Konoha's ally, it could be a preemptive move to take out the Jinchūriki and leave Konoha open to assault."

"I have known Ōnoki for a very long time, and he is not that subtle. I don't know much about the Mizukage, but Kirigakure's leadership has been focused more on internal conflict than external. So while your hypothesis is possible, it does seem quite remote."

The ANBU shook his head. "I defer to your judgment, Hokage-sama. If you say that scenario is unlikely, no other situation comes to mind that would explain their companionship."

"No, me neither, especially if you consider the, hm, delegates, let's say, that would theoretically be forging said alliance. By all appearances, this coalition is a thing of circumstance."

"Even considering their target?" Neko posed. "Surely it can't be coincidence that one Jinchūriki is targeting another."

Hiruzen stroked his grey goatee. "Very true. But perhaps where our system has failed young Naruto-kun, this personal tutelage may help him find his way."

"Hokage-sama, if I may speak freely?" At the elderly man's nod, the ANBU continued, "While it may be considered…fortuitous…that Naruto will be trained in a capacity that benefits Konoha, the company he is with is not ideal. While an alliance between Iwa and Kiri may be unlikely, we have little guarantee that they will not influence Naruto in unforeseen ways."

"Ah, you underestimate young Naruto-kun's adherence to the Will of Fire. It's not an unreasonable theory, though." Hiruzen then smiled. "That is why I am tasking you with providing oversight of this…unusual union. If you determine that things are getting too precarious, you have full authority to interfere and restrain the foreign threats."

"As you wish, Hokage-sama. Are there any specific parameters I should use to determine when action is appropriate?"

"I leave that to your discretion, Neko. Your judgment is sound."

"Understood."

"Then you are dismissed."

-l-l-l-

**Author's Notes: **Rōshi's fighting style, and the taijutsu he's teaching Naruto, is based off his movements in the _Ultimate Ninja Storm_ series.


	5. The Slug's Lessons

_He inhaled deep through his nose, letting cool air fill his lungs. Then he blew out with a lengthy exhale, the beginnings of a bubble forming at the end of his bamboo blower. When it finally detached from the blower, a sea turtle appeared, flippers moving like the air was water._

_"Ooo, that's really good."_

_Utakata glanced to the side, gracing Yagura with a small grin. "Yeah? I've been practicing."_

_"I can tell."_

_There was a gleam of excitement in the younger boy's normally dull eyes, a rare glimpse at the eight-year-old finally able to act his age. It reminded Utakata that, however bad he thought he had it at the bubble-user compound, the grey-haired Jinchūriki had it worse, a childhood stolen from him by the Hidden Mist's meddling politicians._

_Yagura didn't deserve that. No Jinchūriki did._

_"Watch this one."_

_He breathed in again, deeper, crafting an image in his mind of the form his next creation would take. When he exhaled this time, the bubble that formed was more oblong than round. Fins formed along its side and back, and as it exited the blower, the dolphin flapped its tail, shooting for the sky. Utakata allowed himself to recline from his seated position and lace his fingers behind his head as his creation swam in the open sky._

_"It looks happy," Yagura observed quietly._

_Utakata nodded. "I wish I could be so free."_

_He could see the younger Jinchūriki shift beside him, bringing his hooked staff up and muttering, "Suiton: Mizukagami no Jutsu." A flat, oval-shaped mass of water appeared before them, a second bubble dolphin reflected on its surface; with a vertical flip of the watery mirror, the dolphin emerged, moving upwards to frolic with the one the brunet had created. "Me, too, Utakata-nii."_

_Utakata turned to look at his friend, surprised at the familial address. But Yagura's pink eyes were wistfully fixed on the pair of dolphins, a lost hope in his expression, and the brunet let his question die on his tongue. _I'll protect you, _he decided, _no matter what it takes.

_As a fellow Jinchūriki – more importantly, as Yagura's older brother – it was the least he could do. _Maybe we'll both be free one day.

-l-l-l-

It took a tremendous amount of effort for Naruto to get out of bed the next day. 'Dragged' was the most appropriate word after he woke with a long groan, body one great ache. Between the anger and adrenaline that had built during the previous day's session, he hadn't felt much of the aftereffects of Rōshi's training at the time, but now, with a night of sleep under his belt, he _definitely_ felt them.

On his feet, he stretched his arms to the ceiling, his back bowing with the motion, muscles weighted with exhaustion. Through the aching, though, Naruto felt good. Accomplished. He'd brawled with plenty of people in class – Sasuke, Kiba, even Chōji to a lesser extent – and he'd been beaten more times than not, but none of those fights had ever _taught_ him anything. Iruka had been a stickler for theory over practicality, and since the blond had never grasped the theory, he'd never really advanced to learning anything of substance.

Rōshi was the exact opposite, and Naruto found that he liked the older man's teaching style better than the Academy's, shitty personality notwithstanding.

_Ah! Pain, pain! Ohh…_

He melted into a seated position on his bed as a knot in his back worked itself out. _Maybe we won't fight today…_

The journey to the forest was a trudge, though he was forced to admit the walk helped relieve some of the weight in his legs. Moving was bittersweet, in a way, though he chose to see the effort as evidence of a good workout rather than anything negative.

When he finally arrived at their designated meeting place, Rōshi was leaning against a tree with eyes closed. Naruto looked around nervously, wary of being alone with the redhead, especially in his current condition. "Uh…"

"Follow me."

The blond obeyed, wandering after the Iwa-nin through the trees. After a long trek – made even longer by the silence between the pair – the sound of running water made its way to his ears, and the foliage thinned enough to reveal a river, at least 20 feet wide by his guess. Utakata was reclining against the bank of the far shore, golden eyes closed in peace. Rōshi cleared his throat loud enough to get the brunet's attention and announced, "I got 'im."

Utakata waved a lazy arm, not even bothering to open his eyes. "Come on in, Naruto," he called. "Water's fine."

Naruto glanced at Rōshi, hesitation written across his features, but only received a grunt and an eye-roll in response. Finding no help there – not that he'd expected it – he approached the bank and dipped in a toe, immediately jumping backwards with a yelp. "It's freezing!"

"Tough shit. Git in."

Naruto shot the redhead a sour look. "You get in!"

"I ain't th' one learnin' Suiton," grunted the Iwa-nin. He marched forward and grabbed the blond by his collar, divesting him of his orange jacket with a rough tug. "Hope yeh can swim," he muttered, using his foot to shove the startled boy into the water.

The blond landed with a splash, shrieking as the icy temperature seeped through his remaining clothes and froze his body. He went rigid with shock, the pull of the river carrying him along momentarily before a strong hand latched around his wrist. Naruto felt himself pulled up, spluttering as he broke the surface. "I've got you," came Utakata's voice.

Naruto wrapped his arms around himself, teeth chattering. Blue eyes raked over the teenager beside him. The Kiri-nin was clad only in his boxers, water dripping from the tips of his lank hair and following the contours of his lean body. Several scars were scattered around his torso and over his shoulders, in areas normally hidden by his kimono. Naruto was about to ask what had happened to him when the older Jinchuriki beat him to the punch, asking, "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah, f-f-fine."

Utakata arched an eyebrow. "Are you cold?"

"A-aren't you?"

Utakata laughed at the question, and for a moment, Naruto forgot about his situation. In the few days he'd known the brunet, Utakata had been gentle, calm, nervous, mad, even scared, but he'd never expressed open amusement. It made the teenager appear younger than he'd portrayed himself, more relatable, and the blond found himself smiling despite everything. "Sorry," Utakata finally managed. "In Kiri, everyone learns to swim from an early age, and we adjust pretty quickly to different water temperatures. I guess I just forgot myself for a moment." Then he smiled apologetically at the younger boy. "You should consider removing your clothes, though. The best way to learn about water is to be fully immersed."

Reluctantly, Naruto complied with the brunet's suggestion, shucking shoes, pants, and mesh shirt at Rōshi's feet. When he was finished, he stood only in his boxers, shivering, arms hugging himself, and waited for the brunet's next set of instructions.

Utakata still looked amused, though he managed to hold in his laughter. "You can relax. We're not doing anything strenuous today. I figured your body could use something a bit easier after yesterday."

Naruto had to admit that the water had a soothing effect on his sore body, though he couldn't tell whether that was because it felt good or because he was simply numb. He sank in up to his neck, and Utakata suggested, "Try moving around some, it'll help you warm up."

The blond obeyed slowly, spreading his limbs and taking careful steps through the water. Konoha wasn't really known for its sources of water, and Naruto's swimming abilities were limited at best. Utakata's voice was soothing as he spoke, riding the flow of the river. "Learning Suiton is about learning how water flows. You're going to struggle if you try to go against it. Try swimming upstream."

Naruto stopped standing and tried to paddle against the current. Panic began to settle in as Utakata's form shrank, the river carrying him further away. He flailed helplessly, unable to properly ground himself on the riverbed, and something latched around his raised wrist. Slowly, he was dragged back to where Utakata was, the older boy pulling him forward with a whip of water. "Try standing now." He rose to his feet, the Kiri-nin's body providing a blockade against the river's flow, and the teenager asked, "Not easy, right?"

"Uh-uh. You can use Suiton like that?"

Utakata nodded. "With practice, you can, too. But you have to start from the beginning and learn the basics. That applies to everything, not just Suiton."

Naruto remembered the older boy saying something similar the day before, and the predictable whine of impatience that he'd vocalized in response. This time, he just nodded.

The brunet offered him a gentle smile in return. "Good. And how do you feel?"

"I'm good," Naruto answered, and he realized that the statement was surprisingly true. The water was no longer freezing, and while still cold, it was refreshing. His body felt loose and ready for whatever came next, despite the shape he'd woken up in. "Real good. Are you gonna teach me Suiton now?"

"The basics," admitted the Kiri-nin. "This will be…different, let's say, than how Rōshi will be training you."

"Mebbe yeh can teach 'im ter swim while yer at it."

Golden eyes darted over to the Iwa-nin's position on the bank before returning their attention to Naruto. "That's on the list, too," he told the blond. "But one step at a time. At their core, each type of elemental ninjutsu comes from the same basic principles, so anything I teach you should also transfer over to what Rōshi teaches you about Yōton and its individual components."

Naruto's brow was furrowed again. Utakata couldn't tell if the expression was confusion or concentration. "'Kay."

"You know the twelve hand signs?" When the blond nodded, he prompted, "Show me." Naruto flipped through them, and the brunet gave a thoughtful hum at the end. "You'll need to work on getting faster. Knowing how to transition between them quickly may save your life in battle." At the younger boy's disheartened expression, Utakata assured him, "We won't focus on that now; you can practice that on your own. For now, we'll work on Suiton. You remember how you felt yesterday using Katon?"

Naruto spared a glance at Rōshi. "I was really mad."

"This time you need to stay calm. If anger helps you control fire, serenity will do the same for water. You may find yourself getting frustrated if nothing happens, but try not to think about it. Push it aside. Progress takes time, you'll learn eventually."

_"Aww…_ Okay…"

"Copy me," Utakata instructed. He raised a hand to chest height and held it palm-up. Water from the river rose up in small rivulets and coalesced into a sphere-shaped mass in his palm. He demonstrated to a wide-eyed Naruto how to use chakra to manipulate the liquid's shape, first creating a cylinder, then a pyramid, and finally something resembling a sea urchin. After allowing it to return to a sphere, he said, "Now you try. Feel your chakra flow into the river and then call it to your hand. And remember, even if nothing happens, don't get mad. Just stay calm."

As Naruto set himself up to duplicate the brunet's efforts, Utakata continued lecturing, "Much of Suiton ninjutsu is about using your chakra to change the shape of existing water. Its malleability is where Suiton gets its strength from."

Naruto looked up from the task at hand, the concerted crease in his brow smoothing out with curiosity. "But you were able to spit it yesterday."

The Kiri-nin nodded. "Yes, you can also use Suiton by changing the nature of your chakra, similar to how Rōshi uses Katon or Yōton, but it's more difficult. Remember what we learned about the flow of water? It's better to start from the simplest point and move on from there. So we'll work on shape manipulation first."

"Okay."

"Good. Then keep trying."

-l-l-l-

"Again!" Rōshi barked.

Naruto took a deep breath in through his nose and attempted to drown out the irritation building in his blood. He released a yelp when the redhead slapped him upside the head. "None o' that," the Iwa-nin grunted. "This ain't Suiton. Yeh gotta git angry if yer gonna learn Katon."

"It's really hard to switch between them," Naruto complained.

"Tough shit. Learn ter do it."

Naruto grumbled under his breath, but closed his eyes and stopped trying to calm himself, allowing the seething fire of annoyance to burn under his skin. Rōshi continued to talk, his gruff, rural cadence only adding to the blond's frustration. "Think o' how Konoha treated yeh. Think o' th' life yeh lost 'cause yer a Jinchūriki. Yeh can even think o' how much yeh hate me—"

"Easy enough," Naruto muttered.

"—so long as yeh git mad."

"Rrr, shut up! I get it!"

"Watch yer tone!"

Naruto could feel the heat crawling beneath his skin like a colony of ants. Rōshi's condescension was a palpable presence, weighing him down and shadowing him in a cloud of anger. His whole body felt warm, a stark contrast to the river water that had chilled him the day before.

"Yeh feel yer chakra now, don'cha?"

"Yeah."

"Any shinobi worth his salt should be able ter draw on it whenever."

Naruto scowled at the redhead, his chakra flaring at the gibe. The anger felt good, in a backwards sort of way that wasn't _entirely_ unfamiliar. It reminded him of how he felt when he got overlooked by the villagers, or suffered their hatred unprompted, and his outlets had been pranks and loneliness. But maybe those had just been disguises, or distractions, for the hurt and outrage at being treated unfairly. And now Rōshi was giving him an outlet to use that anger in a positive way.

"Breathe," Rōshi said, and even through the cloud of anger, the Iwa-nin's voice didn't sound as gruff as it usually did. "Channel yer chakra ter yer chest an' focus on yer anger. Let it build an' just _breathe_."

The blond followed his instructions, forming the chakra into a ball in his chest and suffusing it with the anger bubbling beneath his skin. A kernel of warmth formed within and then spread from his core, making him feel like his whole body was awash in tempered fire. He inhaled, and the internal flames rolled with the movement, building stronger in his chest.

"Out," Rōshi said, biting cynicism absent, his commands stern but even. Naruto obeyed without thinking, too wrapped up in the trance-like atmosphere to question anything. "Fire needs air. Yeh breathe in, an' yeh build yer power. Breathe out, an' yeh release it. Yeh remember th' seals?"

"Mm."

"When yeh breathe in, form 'em. Picture th' jutsu in yer mind. Then breathe out, an' let it go. Got it?"

"Mm hm."

"Open yer eyes, stupid!" barked the redhead. "Yeh got ter see what yer doin' so yeh know how ter fix it. This ain't meditation."

Blue eyes opened and glared daggers at the old man, and Naruto inhaled with the flash of anger, feeling his chakra roil in his chest and form into a fiery ball as his hands flashed through seals. Then he exhaled, the name of the technique echoing in his mind – _Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu! _– and a fireball the size of his fist shot out from between his lips. Rōshi caught the flaming projectile before it could ignite the surrounding foliage and crushed it in his hand, but Naruto was too busy marveling at his achievement to pay the Iwa-nin any heed. _I did it…on my first try! That was way easier than last time._ His gaze focused on the redhead. _He really knows what he's talkin' about… _"Hey, do I always have to be mad to do this?"

"'Til yeh git a hang o' it, prob'bly. What's that grin fer, eh? Yeh still got a long way ter go."

"Heh, we'll see!" _You're not so bad after all, oji-san._

-l-l-l-

"Mmm…"

It was peaceful in the Land of Fire. Utakata hadn't realized how harried his life had always felt in Kiri until he and Rōshi had settled themselves into a semi-permanent campsite and started the arduous task of training Naruto. Where before he'd felt simultaneously caged and exiled, now he was surrounded by nature's open tranquility and a deep calm.

_"Ahhhh!"_

_Sploosh!_

The brunet sighed. _No wonder Rōshi liked living alone._ Golden eyes opened to find Naruto struggling to his feet against the river's current, waterlogged blond locks hindering his vision. "Need help?"

"Don' yeh dare think o' it." Utakata craned his neck to find Rōshi standing just behind where he was relaxing against the riverbank. "I tol' yeh not ter baby 'im. Yeh've been teachin' 'im fer weeks, it's time ter sink or swim."

"We need him alive, Rōshi."

"It ain't deep. 'Sides, he learns better like this."

Utakata rolled his eyes and returned his attention to the younger Jinchūriki, silently preparing his chakra in case his intervention was required. By this point, Rōshi's unorthodox opinions on teaching weren't anything new, and protesting the older man's strange (albeit effective) methodologies hadn't done anything so far. That Naruto hadn't died yet spoke well of the boy's resiliency in the face of such overwhelming odds.

"Take this!"

"No, wait—!"

Utakata's protest faltered as the water Naruto was trying to splash at Rōshi fell short and instead hit him in the face. He sputtered out the liquid he hadn't closed his mouth in time to avoid, raising an eyebrow at the sheepish blond. Behind him, Rōshi snorted. "Was that s'pposed ter be some kinda jutsu?"

Naruto's lips pressed together in a pout, arms crossed over his chest. "No. Don't you know how to have fun?"

"Oh, fun, eh? Is that what yeh think this is?"

"Uh, well—"

"Bein' a shinobi's about life an' death," Rōshi asserted. Utakata felt the redhead's sandal nudge the back of his head. "Fight me like yeh want ter kill me."

The Kiri-nin frowned. "I'd rather not—"

"I don' care what yeh want. He needs ter learn this."

"I'm still recover—Suiton: Suijinheki!" River water rose up and blocked the burst of flame that had escaped the redhead's mouth. Utakata dove beneath the water's surface, swimming to the river's center and rising to his feet, placing himself between the irate Iwa-nin and the wide-eyed Naruto. "Are you _insane?_ At least give me a _warning_—"

"Yeh git no warnin's in combat. Yōton: Yōgan-Ryū no Jutsu!"

"Suiton: Dai Suijinheki!" As a massive wall of water rose to intercept the incoming Lava Flow Technique, Utakata made a shooing gesture to the Jinchūriki behind him. "Naruto, get back! You're not going to want to get caught up in this." He blazed through hand seals, saturating the river with his chakra. Bubbles rose from the water's surface and levitated around the brunet.

Rōshi snorted. "Yeh think that'll stop me?" He charged forward, summoning a pillar of earth beneath his foot that boosted him into the air above the Six-Tails' Jinchūriki. His cheeks bulged in preparation for an attack, but Utakata had already pitched his hand up, commanding several bubbles to follow the motion. They flew upwards and exploded in the redhead's face before he could attack, sending him crashing into the river.

A copy of the brunet formed from the water where the older Jinchūriki had landed, its hands held out to create and hold a large sphere of liquid with the Iwa-nin inside. Rōshi stared at him from within the Water Prison Technique, one eyebrow arched to silently question if the Kiri-nin thought the ninjutsu was enough to hold him. Utataka's hands twisted through more seals, a Water Release: Water Fang Bullet ready to impale the redhead, but Rōshi was already shrouded in a coat of lava that evaporated both the Water Prison Technique and the brunet's clone.

Utakata sent the remaining bubbles at the approaching Jinchūriki, but a wave of pure heat popped them before they got close. He sped through seals, feeling the river's water answer the call of his chakra. "Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu!"

The river swelled into a giant wave that flowed upstream and crashed over the Iwa-nin. Steam erupted at the point of contact, and Rōshi continued to walk through unhindered, an unstoppable force cloaked in red-orange. He charged the brunet, every footstep producing a hiss from the contact of heat and water, and Utakata summoned three Mizu Bunshin to run interference.

Rōshi burst through them with a brutal clothesline, and Utakata barely managed to cross his arms in front of his face to defend himself. He hissed as the redhead's knuckles burned his forearms, the punch taking him off his feet. Water splashed up when he fell backwards, and the brunet kicked blindly to force himself into the river's flow.

"Yōton: Shakugaryūgan no Jutsu!"

Utakata's head struck a dam of solid rock that hadn't been obstructing the river's flow previously. He rose from the water, one hand rubbing his injured skull. Splashing drew his attention to the charging Rōshi, and the brunet flipped through a short set of seals before expelling a stream of water from his mouth. "Suiton: Suidan no Jutsu!"

Rōshi was pushed back by the Water Bullet Technique, but he held up one arm palm-out, the fiery aura coating the appendage solidifying into bulky pumice. The incoming water sprayed out in all directions in the face of the hardened resistance, and the redhead continued a slower trek towards the Rokubi Jinchūriki. _Saiken,_ Utakata probed with gritted teeth, _I could use your help._

…I cannot.

_What?_

It would not be appropriate for me to lend my strength against one of my brethren.

He growled at the slug, snapping_, Fine! _and breaking off the internal dialogue. _I'll do it myself._

The Kiri-nin released his control over the chakra serving as his second skin, the acidic quality of his Bijū's gift eating through his boxers and effervescing with the river. Rōshi laughed, a gruff, rusty echo. "Finally! Yeh _can_ lose control, eh? See this, boy?" he called, addressing Naruto. "This's a Jinchūriki's power."

He blazed forward as bubbles began to rise off the Kiri-nin's skin. When he was close enough, the heat from his aura popped the bubbles, and a series of small explosions engulfed the pair. Utakata flew backwards and hit the wall of hardened lava created by the Scorching Stream Rock Technique, his acidic skin slowly dissolving the makeshift dam.

Golden eyes opened with an accompanying groan to find Rōshi kneeling over him, a curved kunai hovering an inch above his throat. _This is familiar. _The redhead was covered in shiny obsidian, his other fist holding the brunet's chest (and body) underwater. Rōshi smirked at him. "Yield."

Utakata knew when he was beaten. "I yield," he said, covering himself in his protective chakra once more.

"Yeh don' know how ter fully use yer power," Rōshi noted. Chips of obsidian flaked off his body and dropped into the river until he was left unarmored.

"…No," the Kiri-nin admitted. His voice carried a sourness borne of embarrassment. "My training wasn't allowed to get to that point. Just enough to make me dangerous. Fear of too much power they couldn't fully control, I think." _At least, I can't figure out any other explanation. _"I had hoped to work on it here…" He shot Rōshi a hopeful look.

The redhead arched an eyebrow, arms crossed over his chest. "Are yeh expectin' me ter teach yeh yer powers?"

"We should all be learning to control our Jinchūriki powers, so yes, the thought had crossed my mind," Utakata said. At his companion's snort, he added suggestively, "But I'd settle for learning how to control that chakra armor ninjutsu you use?"

Rōshi stepped out of the river, his back to the brunet in a clear dismissal. "Yeh see th' point?" he announced to the trees. Naruto appeared from behind a trunk, blue eyes wide. "Ev'ry fight's dang'rous. No jutsu's perfect. Got it?"

The blond nodded, his expression solemn. "Got it."

Utakata followed the Yonbi Jinchūriki out of the water and moved to grab his pants and kimono, clothing himself with a sigh. _And today was going so well._

A tug on his sleeve drew his attention. Naruto stood next to him, brow furrowed in concern. "Are you okay?"

The Kiri-nin tried to smile at the boy, though the gesture appeared thin. "I'll be fine. Rōshi's just…"

"Mean," Naruto supplied. "And angry."

Utakata laughed, and the action released the knot of tension coiled in his stomach. "You're not wrong," he managed between chuckles. "Naruto?" When the blond cocked his head to one side to indicate he was paying attention, the Kiri-nin continued, "Do me a favor. No matter what Rōshi says, just…let yourself be a kid."

"Huh?"

"Rōshi's right that each fight is dangerous," the brunet explained. "Hell, just being a shinobi is dangerous. Being a Jinchūriki even more so. And you should always be prepared to fight for your life; that's part of what we're trying to train you for. But it's also important that you get to be who you are. You can't let other people tell you who you should be. Do you understand?"

"I…think so."

Utakata clapped a hand on the younger boy's shoulder. "Just keep being yourself. Why don't you head home for the day? We'll pick up tomorrow."

"Okay, later!"

The Kiri-nin watched him disappear in the direction of Konoha, and when he was out of sight, Rōshi asked in a gruff voice, "What was th' point o' that?"

"You never really had a childhood, right?" He spared a glance at the redhead when no response was forthcoming, finding only flat, skeptical dark eyes. "You're not exactly special in that regard. But Yagura…he only wanted to enjoy life, and he never got a chance. Kirigakure forced him to learn to be Mizukage before he learned how to have fun."

"Trainin' th' kid was yer idea."

"I know. And we should keep going. But unlike you, me, or Yagura, Naruto seems like he knows how to have fun. Be a kid. We should encourage that, not discourage it."

Utakata expected Rōshi to snort, or scoff, or make a sarcastic reply, but only silence greeted his statement. The Iwa-nin's brow was furrowed, mouth puckered slightly, and if it was Naruto, the brunet might have called his expression thoughtful. _He looks…nostalgic?_

"Fine."

The Kiri-nin started. "Sorry?"

"I said 'fine'," Rōshi grunted.

"Oh. Well…good. Thanks."

He turned to head back to their campsite when Rōshi said, "I git it." The brunet stopped, turning around in surprise, and the older Jinchūriki's dark eyes found his golden ones. "Aye. Git over it. Yeh don' coddle 'im, an' I don' break 'im."

-l-l-l-

"Slide forward more. When yeh twist, yeh'll git more power. Not that far, yeh'll unbalance!" A sigh. "Too late."

"I'm trying!" Naruto complained.

"I can tell," was Rōshi's dry response, and Utakata was surprised that his tone lacked its usual condescension. After so much time together, it seemed like the redhead was actually trying to be civil, which was…impressive. "Try again. An' watch yer stance this time."

"Can't I fight something? It's boring hitting air."

Rōshi brought his hands together, and a clone rose from the dirt before him. "It won't hit back, if yer afraid o' that."

"As if!"

Naruto charged the doppelganger, throwing a punch that transitioned to a series of taijutsu combinations that Rōshi had shown him. His movements were fluid despite how stilted the katas themselves appeared to the brunet's golden eyes, as if they were missing an important component. Whatever style the Yonbi Jinchūriki had taught the boy was clearly meant to deliver debilitating results with minimal effort. Supplemented by his Lava Armor Technique, it was easy to see why the style was effective as an offense.

The blond jumped, somersaulted, and brought his leg down in a drop-kick. Clone-Rōshi blocked with its arms, and Naruto leveraged his other foot on its shoulder to spring off it, tossing a kunai that buried itself in the back of the earth clone's neck. It crumbled on the spot, and the boy landed on the ground in a crouch.

"Oh, yer improvisin' now, eh?"

Naruto rose and faced the Iwa-nin, his rosy cheeks betraying his flustered state. "Uh, well—"

"Yer smarter than I gave yeh credit fer," Rōshi acknowledged. His voice had its usual gruffness, but Utakata – scrutinizing the redhead's tics for any miniscule changes in how he treated the two younger Jinchūriki – detected a near-imperceptible undercurrent of…_pride? _"Yeh got ter adapt ter each situation an' take advantage o' any openin's. Not bad."

Naruto's lips exploded like a lit firecracker into a beatific smile, his excitement a palpable thing. "Hey, hey, did ya hear that, Utakata-nii? I'm _awesome._"

The brunet's relaxed expression froze in place, body petrified and mouth open to deliver tempered praise that wouldn't escape his throat. Where Naruto stood, casting him a concerned glance, he only saw unkempt gray hair and pupil-less pink eyes, an adult's solemnity on a child's face. "…Utakata-nii?"

"If yeh think yer such hot stuff, yeh should try fightin' him now that he's healed."

"Um, is he okay?"

"Fine!" Utakata gasped with sudden alertness, voice more strained than he would have liked. "I'm fine," he repeated, calmer. Over the blond's head, Rōshi raised a skeptical eyebrow, and the Kiri-nin brushed it off as a figment of his frazzled mind that the gesture was silently asking the same question. "We can spar if you'd like."

Naruto seemed to take the brunet's answer at face value and resumed bouncing on the balls of his feet. Rōshi gave a shrug and said, "If yeh want ter make it fair, yeh should limit yerself ter taijutsu only, let th' kid use anythin'."

"Sure, that sounds fine."

One red eyebrow arched again, but the brunet ignored it to settle himself in a defensive stance, blocking Naruto's charging attack with a rigidity contrary to his normally fluid movements. _Focus, _he scolded himself, even as his thoughts whirred around uncontrolled, analyzing the status of their situation. In the back of his mind, he acknowledged that Rōshi's initial reticence and constant distance seemed to be fading, which was good news for his plan. The idea that he'd made inroads, even small ones, with the antisocial recluse was reassuring.

And Naruto seemed to be retaining what he was taught, if the spar was any indication, even if development seemed slow. Not that the blond's sluggish progress was in any way his fault. His poor education aside, Utakata knew that even good shinobi required time and repetition to learn something new, and the younger Jinchūriki was learning everything – _multiple_ things – from scratch.

_"Utakata-nii!"_

Yagura's voice was all too real in his head, its echo a distant cry for help. He flubbed a block and suffered a hard strike to his ribs, reinforcing the evidence of Naruto's improvements. _Get it together!_ he scolded himself. _Just because Naruto and Yagura call me the same thing…_

He felt suddenly winded at the thought, a second blow with no physical cause. It was a stark reminder of why he'd left the Hidden Mist and what they were training for. Yagura was on a timetable – they all were – with no way of knowing how much time they had left. Months? Weeks? At what point would Akatsuki deem it more prudent to extract the Three-Tails than to maintain its puppet? And what of the remaining Jinchūriki, still unaccounted for, still unaware of the danger they were in?

The solace he'd just found in both Naruto's and Rōshi's progress now seemed insignificant and bittersweet. Worry jittered through his body and clouded his mind.

Naruto threw a punch at his stomach, and Utakata pushed it down almost robotically before taking a careful step back as the blond swiped at him with a kunai in his left hand. The younger Jinchūriki stepped towards him and spun clockwise, his right fist coming around in a hammer-blow. Utakata blocked the strike with both arms, and Naruto jumped back to throw his kunai at the brunet. "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"

The Kiri-nin was already in the process of dodging the knife when a fireball the size of his head burst from the blond's mouth. Without thinking, Utakata condensed the water vapor in the air in front of him to create a thin shield of liquid that soaked up the incoming Great Fireball.

"Enough!"

The pair stopped at Rōshi's order, turning their attention to the approaching redhead. "Yeh broke th' rules," he berated the Mist shinobi. "Nothin' but taijutsu. Yeh lose." He turned to the Kyūbi Jinchūriki. "Quick thinkin' with th' kunai an' th' Gōkakyū. Not bad, kid."

Naruto grinned wide and rubbed the back of his head, flushing with a mixture of pride and embarrassment. "Heheh, thanks!"

Dark eyes rolled back to the Rokubi Jinchūriki. "Yer taijutsu ain't bad enough that th' kid should beat yeh."

"Sorry. I was distracted."

"Yer a Jōnin, yeh shouldn't git distracted. An' it shouldn't take much ter beat 'im."

"I don't need your judgment right now," the brunet snapped.

"Are you sure you're okay, Utakata-nii?"

"Don't call me that!"

Naruto took a surprised step backwards, blue eyes wide with hurt. Rōshi scowled at the Kiri-nin. Dark eyes never leaving the brunet, he said, "Oi, kid, why don' yeh go swimmin' fer a bit, hm?"

The blond cast a hesitant glance between the two older Jinchūriki before acquiescing with a confused, "Um, yeah, okay."

Rōshi's hand clamped around the Mist shinobi's bicep with a grip like iron. The Rokubi Jinchūriki winced as his companion's fingertips tightened uncomfortably on his arm, a hard yank nearly pulling the limb from its socket. "What's your problem?" Utakata hissed.

"I'm old an' hate change," Rōshi retorted, dragging the teenager behind a tree. He let go of the boy and crossed his arms over his chest. "What's _yer_ problem? Th' kid looks up ter yeh," he said, pointing to where Naruto was standing in the river, naked from the waist up, trying to manipulate the water he was standing atop. "An' o' th' two o' us, yer th' nice one, so _pull it t'gether._"

Under the Iwa-nin's harsh glare, the brunet could feel shame crawling beneath his skin. "…It's the name," he admitted, "what he called me. 'Utakata-nii'. Yagura calls me that. Or he used to anyway, before…everything. Just hearing him call me that, it…triggered something."

"Yeh got PTSD or somethin'?"

Utakata's brows furrowed in confusion. "No?"

"Then git over yerself. Yeh can't expect ter rescue yer friend if yeh git thrown by ev'ry tiny thing someone says."

"You don't understand what that friendship means to me!"

"I've heard yeh talk about it enough ter know what yeh think it means," Rōshi shot back, "an' it's a liability!"

Utakata blinked, too surprised to hold on to his anger. "…What?"

"D'yeh think that Akatsuki won't take advantage o' yer mental state ter get what they want?" the Iwa-nin argued. "If yer head ain't in th' game, yeh won't help no one. Yeh'll git yerself killed 'cause yer bein' stupid, an' then where'll yer friend be, eh? Pull yerself t'gether or we're all dead."

The brunet shook his head, an attempt to rid himself of the specter that loomed over him, choosing to focus instead on the last thing the older Jinchūriki had said. "We?" he asked weakly, unsure if he'd heard his companion correctly.

Rōshi crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. "I'm still here, ain't I? Akatsuki's too big fer one o' us. Yer not th' only one with somethin' ter fight fer 'side from our lives."

The grin that slowly stretched across Utakata's lips felt foreign, even as a surge of victory swelled in his chest. _So you've actually come around, huh? I guess_ y_ou're not as self-serving as you appear._

_But I wonder then…who're you fighting for?_

"Stop smilin', yeh look like an idiot."

"If you say so."

Rōshi shifted under the Kiri-nin's golden gaze, dark eyes darting in Naruto's direction. As closed off as the redhead was, Utakata got the impression that he was distinctly uncomfortable with how the conversation had turned. "Yeh wanted ter make a connection with th' kid, an' now yeh've got one. So quit mopin', take advantage o' it, an' teach 'im somethin'."

Utakata nodded. "Right. Thanks."

"Hmph. Jus' don' do it again."

Utakata walked away from his companion and towards the river, where Naruto was practicing the hand seals for the Wild Water Wave. Brow furrowed in concentration, he missed the brunet shedding his kimono and stepping into the water. The Kiri-nin waited several seconds for a lull in the blond's practice before coughing to catch his attention. "Sorry," he said when blue eyes finally focused on him.

"S'okay."

The brunet shook his head. "No, it isn't. I was distracted and not giving you my full attention, and that's not fair to you."

Naruto cocked his head to one side, peering at the teenager with a curious expression, a trinket he couldn't quite put a value on. "You're kinda weird, Utakata-nii."

Utakata flinched at the nickname, the specter of his friend returning to superimpose itself over the boy. That Naruto was roughly the same size as his friend and playing in the water only helped cement the image. The Kiri-nin shook it from his vision and managed, "Sorry, what?"

"No one's ever really cared about paying attention to me before," Naruto said. He was focused on his hands, the fingers twisting together, though it now seemed more like he was fidgeting than trying to achieve any sort of jutsu. "But you're apologizing to me even though you're training me every day? I don't get it."

The bubble-user sighed, a sad smile stretching his lips. "I'm apologizing because you deserve better. We _all_ deserve better," he corrected. Naruto glanced behind him to where Rōshi stood in the shadows of the trees, arms crossed and expression stony. "Yes, even Rōshi." He paused, a pensive look overtaking his features, and then probed, "Naruto, have you thought about why we're here? Rōshi and me, I mean."

"Mm, not really. You're here to train me, right?"

"Well, yes, but there's more to it than that. Do you remember the friend I mentioned, Yagura? The Mizukage?"

"Oh yeah, him! Uh huh!"

"Yagura's like my little brother, and I promised to protect him, but…something happened. Something I'm not strong enough to fight on my own. There's a group of people hunting the Jinchūriki, and they're using Yagura to do that."

"But…he's a Kage," Naruto said, confusion evident in his voice. "The Kage's the strongest shinobi in the village, so how—?"

"A Kage is still only human," Utakata placated. _Or demon._ He was suddenly glad that Rōshi was out of earshot; there was no telling how the redhead's cynicism would destroy his argument, let alone the blond's worldview. It already seemed like he was breaking the Kyūbi Jinchūriki's preconceptions, and he was attempting to be delicate about it. "And I hope you would know by now that no one is infallible. Yagura's in danger, and I have to help him."

"Let's do it!"

Utakata jerked, startled by the blond's sudden enthusiasm. "Sorry?"

Naruto's fists were clenched, determination clear in his blue eyes. "If your friend needs help, then I'm in! The Hokage protects his people, and Yagura's a Jinchūriki like us, so he's my people, too! We'll save him, Utakata-nii, believe it!"

Utakata stared at the younger boy in awe, impressed by his determination. _Although,_ he mused, _perhaps ignorance is bliss after all._ Naruto had shown more than once that he had little understanding for the scope of things, a trait that flew in the face of both Rōshi's skepticism and Utakata's realism, and the brunet had intentionally left out the peril Akatsuki posed to all of them for fear of losing the blond's trust.

But even without knowing the breadth of the challenge that lay before them, the Konoha native was willing to lend his aid to a complete stranger. All at the behest of someone he'd known for a couple months, someone he seemed to look up to as a brother. The boy's outlook boggled the mind; there wasn't a soul in Kiri like Naruto, and Utakata was fairly sure that Rōshi would say the same of Iwa's citizens.

The Kiri-nin reached out with a tentative hand, eventually resting it upon the head of messy blond spikes. Naruto looked up from where he'd returned to practicing his water manipulation with rapt attention while standing on the river, and Utakata tousled his hair in a gesture of affection he hadn't been allowed (or allowed himself) to bestow since before Yagura had become Mizukage. "Utakata-nii?"

Utakata smiled at him, seeing Naruto for who he was without Yagura's shadow hanging around him, the guilt he'd associated with that title now a reminder of what he had to accomplish. "You're a good kid, Naruto. Now, why don't you show me what you've got, hm?"

"You bet!"

Utakata watched the boy flip through seals and sink his chakra into the surrounding water, creating a small geyser that splashed him in the face. The brunet let out a genuine laugh as water dripped from the blond's bangs, moving closer to advise him on how to maintain control.

_I'll protect you, too, Naruto. And this time, I won't fail. I swear._

-l-l-l-

**Author's Note:** I am aware that abridging this particular title/honorific (Utakata-nii) is not exactly common, but it is used in similar context in _Fairy Tail_, and I think it works here for Naruto's perspective.


	6. The Fox's Abandonment

_He stared at the open book on his desk, blue eyes drinking in every detail of the picture. A splotch of blond hair and a white trench coat was all that could be seen atop a massive toad with dark red skin. Before the human/amphibian pair was a truly gigantic fox with orange-red fur and nine tails, its maw open wide in an imposing snarl. The creature appeared far too realistic, the artist capturing its hatred and viciousness in the sharp teeth and clawed paws of its frozen roar._

_A shudder shook his body at the Kyūbi's image, and he fixated on the bright colors atop the toad. That the Yondaime had faced down the Nine-Tails and defeated it when even just an image of it could evoke fear years later was beyond impressive. It was _epic.

_"_—_which was when Yondaime-sama teleported the Kyūbi outside Konoha—"_

_"And kicked its ass, believe it!" Naruto interjected, rising from his seat with one fist pumped into the air._

_"Naruto!" Iruka snapped, visibly irked at the interruption. "Sit down! And watch your language!"_

_The blond reluctantly took his seat amid the muffled tittering of his classmates, drowning out Iruka's voice as the teacher continued his lecture. Blue eyes returned to staring at the artist's depiction of the fight between the Kyūbi and the Yondaime. _I'll be as awesome a Hokage as you one day, _he thought. _Just wait!

-l-l-l-

"Breathe in and hold it…good. Breathe out, slowly, then do it again. Good. Keep going…in, out."

Utakata walked around Naruto as the blond obeyed his instructions, chakra keeping them both standing atop the river's surface. "When you're ready," the brunet continued, voice soft and even, "gather your chakra in your chest, just like you do for Katon. Then breathe out, but picture your chakra as water, not fire."

Naruto opened one eye to peer at the Kiri-nin. "How will I know when I'm ready?"

"Only you'll be able to answer that, but you should take your time. There's no rush. You know the basics of using Suiton by manipulating the shape of existing water, but this will be about changing the nature of your chakra. These are the hand seals for the Mizurappa," he said, forming them with methodical slowness for the Leaf native to observe.

Naruto copied the movements, focusing on memorizing the order of the seals rather than trying to immediately activate the technique, and Utakata allowed himself a small smile at the boy's concentration. Months ago, if he'd taught the blond the same thing, there was little doubt he would have rushed into activating the Wild Water Wave without actually learning it, and Suiton couldn't be hurried. That he'd taken all the brunet's lessons to heart was reassuring.

The younger Jinchūriki's breathing was loud but even as he prepared himself to perform water-based nature manipulation. Utakata allowed the boy to focus in peace, judging his status from in front of him.

"Shouldn't yeh be doin' somethin'?"

Utakata jumped slightly, whipping around to find Rōshi leaning against a tree, arms crossed over his chest. The redhead was normally silent – or even absent – from Naruto's training with the brunet, finding the steps of learning Suiton too quiet and measured for his taste. _"Shh!"_ he hissed, shooting a backwards glance at the blond. When he was assured that the outburst hadn't interrupted Naruto's focus, he jumped from the river and alighted beside the Iwa-nin. "Really? You're going to do this _now?_ He needs quiet if he's going to learn this part."

Rōshi arched an eyebrow. "I ain't talkin' 'bout 'im. Yer wastin' time watchin' 'im an' not doin' nothin'."

Utakata had the grace to avert his eyes in embarrassment. After bearing witness to Rōshi's shifting outlook over he past several months, he felt ashamed for even questioning the Iwa-nin's intentions, even with the redhead's usual sarcasm. "Ah, right. Should we move to give him space?"

Rōshi scoffed. "Yer so _soft_. How'd yeh grow up in Kiri? Don' answer that," he said, waving a hand through the air to dismiss the answer the Mist shinobi had opened his mouth to give. _"OI!"_ he shouted. "Utakata an' I are gonna do some trainin'! Are yeh good?"

Utakata threw another worried glance over his shoulder at Naruto, but the blond didn't appear as if he'd even heard the Four-Tails' Jinchūriki. He turned back around to find Rōshi smirking at him. "Shut up," he told the redhead, fighting to keep the amusement from his voice.

The Iwa-nin shrugged. "Don' know why yeh bother. No real fight goes without distractions. Trainin' like this'll keep 'im alive when a fight gits rough." He arched an eyebrow. "What're yeh waitin' fer? Let's see what yeh've got."

"You enjoy this far more than you should," Utakata replied, divesting himself of his kimono and hanging it over a tree branch. He took a deep breath and then released his hold over his chakra, allowing a green, mucus-like liquid to ooze from his pores.

Across from him, heat roared to life around Rōshi, forming an armor of lava that hardened into dark obsidian. "Aye, beatin' yeh up don' git old. Mebbe yeh'll learn humility afore yeh learn ter use yer goop skin with yer clothes."

"It's the Tokeru," muttered the teenager petulantly. He took an offensive stance, the thin film of his Acid Armor technique covering every inch of skin from his torso up. He charged Rōshi, swiping at the older Jinchūriki with a chop of his right arm. Acid met obsidian, and the sound of sizzling stone echoed between the pair for a moment as Utakata's technique began to dissolve the redhead's defense.

"Strong stuff," grunted Rōshi. "Guess yer not holdin' back this time, eh?"

Utakata smirked. "You shouldn't have made fun of it. Even rock won't last long under a low pH." He grunted when the Iwa-nin planted a solid foot in his stomach and then retracted it quickly to not let the acid linger on his obsidian armor. The brunet moved closer, twisting around his opponent's elbow strike and wrapping his arms around Rōshi's neck in a stranglehold. Acid ate away at the black rock covering the redhead's neck, shoulders, and upper back, every point where the Kiri-nin's skin was in contact.

Another grunt, this time in annoyance. "Yer jutsu only works if yeh've got th' taijutsu ter back it. An' yers still sucks." A small mound of earth rose beneath the Rock shinobi's feet, elevating him above the acid-user and allowing him to leverage his weight – augmented by the obsidian armor – backwards. Utakata let out a grunt as the redhead's body pressed him into the forest floor, a breathy gasp escaping his lips as the armor's jagged edges dug into his stomach. "Yeh'll run outta breath afore I run outta armor."

"We'll…see…" choked out the brunet. More acid seeped from his pores, dissolving the earth around him and giving him enough room to wriggle out from beneath the older Jinchūriki. By the time he got to his feet, Rōshi was already up and throwing a punch at his face, and Utakata barely got his arms up in time to block it. He let out a reflexive hiss of discomfort from being hit, the blow carrying surprisingly little force. "What the hell? How are you even up right now? That armor must weigh a ton!"

"Doton: Keijūgan no Jutsu," smirked the redhead.

Utakata released a sigh of exasperation. _Of course he still has tricks he hasn't used yet. _He couldn't tell if his annoyance was caused by not knowing whether Rōshi still didn't trust him enough to tell him about the different strategies he used in battle, or because the gap in their abilities was still so vast. At this point, it seemed like Rōshi was even in a league above Yagura, though without access to his Bijū forms, he wondered if that was an accurate assessment.

"Nothin's perfect, not even my jutsu," Rōshi informed him, as if reading his thoughts.

"Yeah, I know, though it sure seems that way. How do I beat it then?"

Even as he asked the question, he was sure he wouldn't get an answer, the redhead still reluctant to divulge too much sensitive information. Instead, the Iwa-nin made a shooing gesture, and Utakata complied, backing up until he was directed to stop. "Try standin' like this," Rōshi instructed, dropping his armor and moving his body into what the acid-user assumed was an offensive position. He copied the movements, and when it seemed the older Jinchūriki was satisfied with his stance, he continued, "When yeh attack, make sure yeh grab me like this," he advised, showing the younger Jinchūriki the correct move.

"Like this?"

Rōshi nodded. "Aye. Then—"

"Suiton: Mizurappa!"

Utakata was blasted into a tree by a powerful jet of water, his Acid Armor – while diluted – slowly dissolving the bark. "Sorry Utakata-nii!" Naruto called out, the splashing of water alerting the Kiri-nin to the blond's approach. Golden eyes opened to find the younger Jinchūriki kneeling over him, apprehension clear in his blue irises. "I just kept waitin' for the right moment like you said, and then Rōshi-oji kinda made this move and—"

From nearby, loud above Naruto's anxious concern, Rōshi was laughing uproariously. "Aye, yeh got 'im good, kid. How'd yeh like yer own medicine, eh?"

Naruto looked to be torn between trying not smile at his prank and nerves over the Kiri-nin's reaction, and was failing horribly at the former. Utakata absorbed the Tokeru, reactivated his protective chakra layer, and blew water droplets from his bangs, allowing an amused grin to tug at his lips. "That was a good hit, Naruto. Good force and everything. Now you'll just need to practice speeding up the release." He turned his attention from the pleased Naruto to Rōshi. "I wasn't aware you knew how to have fun."

The redhead shrugged, suddenly over his bout of amusement. He looked older again, the brief laugh lines that had crossed his features disappearing into a neutral expression. "Yeh keep sayin' ter let th' kid be a kid. Don' know why yeh shouldn't reap th' rewards o' yer idea."

Sharp eyes flitted between the Yonbi and Kyūbi Jinchūriki before Utakata clambered to his feet, got his kimono, and wrapped it around himself. "Let's call it a day, Naruto. That you can use the Mizurappa is really impressive. You'll just have to remember how you felt when you did it and keep practicing."

Rōshi shot him a suspicious look. "Yer makin' it sound like yer not gonna be here ter guide 'im."

The Kiri-nin shook his head. "I'm not."

Rōshi's eyebrows furrowed deeper. Naruto let out a long whine. "How come?"

"Someone's got to continue the mission," Utakata explained. "There are more Jinchūriki out there, in danger, and you've come a long way in the months since we've met. I can't teach you anything more until you have a better grasp of your Suiton abilities, and I trust Rōshi won't do anything…drastic," he settled on. "He's still got plenty to teach you, and you can practice everything I taught you in between. You'll be okay, okay?"

"Yeah, okay…"

When the Kiri-nin turned to leave, Rōshi grabbed his elbow with an iron grip. In a low voice, the redhead asked, "D'yeh really think now's th' right time?"

"There will never be a right time. But now's as good a time as any."

"Th' kid ain't ready fer yeh ter leave."

He tossed a glance back at the glum Naruto, then returned to his low conversation with the Iwa-nin. "We've got to let him fly on his own at some point, right? Besides, he'll have you. I trust you to keep him alive until I get back."

Rōshi scoffed, though it seemed the noise lacked his old gruffness. "Tch…stupid."

Utakata grinned at him. "Watch your temper," he advised. Then he walked over to Naruto and ruffled the blond's spiky locks, earning a wobbly smile in return. "Don't worry, I'll be back. Just pay attention, and try not to piss Rōshi off too badly."

Despite his despondency, Naruto threw the brunet a smart salute. "Aye aye!"

-l-l-l-

"Yeh keep twitchin'."

Naruto flicked one eye open to peer at Rōshi, wrinkling his nose in distaste. "Sorry. It's just…it's still _weird._"

"So yeh've said," Rōshi grunted, though the corner of his lips lifted in a smirk. Six months ago, he and the blond would've been at the other's throat in a competition of who could irritate or be irritated by the other more. Now…well, that they could both be around each other without Utakata around to run interference was a feat the older Jinchūriki would've considered impossible in his previous life.

_Who'd've thought an Iwa-nin an' th' Yondaime's kid could get along?_

The blond's measured breaths drew his attention. He was sitting cross-legged on the forest floor with his eyes closed, palms resting on his knees, body uncharacteristically still. It wouldn't last long – Naruto was too fidgety to take up something resembling meditation long-term – but that he could manage the brief spurts he did was impressive. The young brat he'd met had been too impetuous to manage anything close to this.

"Don' move," he told the younger Jinchūriki. His gruff voice was almost soothing, low enough to not disrupt the silence of the surroundings. "Remember, earth is still, unyieldin'. It don' move in th' face o' nothin'." Naruto inhaled, nostrils flaring, and Rōshi continued, "Now, put yer chakra in th' dirt an' _make it move."_

Naruto's hands twisted through familiar seals, eyelids opening to reveal steely determination. "Doton: Doroku Gaeshi."

Rōshi could feel the ground tremble beneath him as the Kyūbi Jinchūriki activated the Earth Release: Earth Shore Return. He waited for a slab of earth to tear itself from the dirt and become the 10-foot wall it should have, but the ground only continued to rumble. "Th' earth'll fight yeh," he lectured, voice hard. It wasn't the first time he'd said those words, but repetition tended to help the boy learn. "Earth is stubborn, but yeh can control it if yer more stubborn. Yeh've been practicin' fer weeks, so dig in an' _fight. Back."_

A low, guttural growl tore itself from the blond's throat, a flush of exertion creeping up his neck and face. _Work, damn it, work!_ _"Doton: Doroku Gaeshi!"_

The earth in front of Naruto rose slowly amidst the ground's grumbling, a two-inch-thick rectangular slab tilting away from the blond. Seconds crawled by, but when the rumbling of the earth finally stopped, a two-foot by two-foot wall stood erect before him. The young Jinchūriki's breathing evened out, its ragged edges becoming smooth and easy. "I…did it."

"Aye, that yeh did." Naruto craned his head and flashed the Iwa-nin a bright smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes. Rōshi's fist came down and lightly rapped him on the back of the head. "Don' git cocky."

Despite the reprimand, Naruto's grin remained in place. "Okay, Rōshi-oji."

Rōshi rolled his dark eyes. "Li'l brat," he muttered. "I tol' yeh ter stop callin' me that."

Naruto chose to ignore him, asking instead, "You still haven't heard from Utakata-nii?"

Another eyeroll. "Yeh don' give up, d'yeh? How d'yeh think that'd happen, hm?"

Naruto shrugged. "I dunno. You guys are pretty sneaky, ya know?"

"Yeh don' git how any o' this works, d'yeh?"

"Mm, not really."

Rōshi let out a sigh that was equal parts exasperation and tired bemusement. _Yer exhaustin'. _He shook his head to disguise the sour smile that flitted across his lips. _If only we were all so naïve…_ "Aye, no word from Utakata."

"So are you finally gonna teach me Yōton now? When you showed me before you said that I just needed to know Katon and Doton."

_"C'mon, oji-san, I'm ready to learn Yōton now, right? Teach me!_"

An image of his niece floated before his eyes, and the redhead was forced to blink the vision away. He was left staring at Naruto's beseeching blue eyes and hopeful expression. "Aye, so I did. But yeh should prob'bly git better afore yeh try ter combine 'em," he advised dryly. "One time don' make yeh a master. Learnin' takes time."

Naruto pouted. _"Maaan…"_

"Th' first step's th' hardest," he offered, tone as conciliatory as he could make it. His voice still came out gruff, but the hard edge of disgust and boredom honed from too many decades of bitter solitude was smoothed down. "Yeh'll git it in time. In th' meantime, we keep movin' forward."

_We keep movin' forward._

Rōshi saw Naruto's mouth move, but he didn't hear whatever words were spoken, too caught up in what he'd said to pay attention. At some point, he'd allowed himself to become attached to Utakata and Naruto, to the _team_ and the _mission_ that the Kiri-nin had pitched as a farfetched way of saving some Jinchūriki who would be an enemy in every other situation. Somewhere along the way, 'I' had become 'we', and training Naruto had become…important. Vital to their survival.

Training the blond made him nostalgic for the rare moments he'd shared with his niece, before he'd been dissuaded by the Tsuchikage to give up their time together. It hadn't been worth it then to give up his solitude for just a few instances of genuine affection and amusement, to risk either her future or his, and yet here he was in the same situation again, but this time the decision had been made for him by two strangers he owed nothing to.

Except this time, it felt like the right one had been made.

_Mebbe it's a sign._

He cast his gaze skyward, seeking answers from a deity that had done nothing but forsake him for almost 50 years.

No guidance was forthcoming, and Rōshi grunted at the expected (lack of) response. _Yeh got ter make yer own decisions…an' fix yer mistakes._

Maybe part of the reason he was training Naruto was to make up for abandoning his niece when she'd asked for his help. It sounded like the kind of psycho-babble Utakata would spout, but the redhead had been around the bubble-user long enough to know that there may have been a ring of truth to the sentiment. And if he was making up for the mistakes of his past, there was one other he needed to address, a far, _far_ bigger one.

"I got ter go."

"Huh?"

"I got ter help Utakata."

"But Utakata-nii said you should keep training me."

"I know!" Rōshi snapped. At Naruto's hurt expression, he took a deep breath and then repeated more calmly, "I know." He looked to the west, expression stony; one hand fiddled with the stone in his pocket, the leash that kept him tethered to the Hidden Rock. "But I need ter take care o' somethin', an' I need ter leave ter do it."

Hesitantly, before he could rethink it, he placed one strong hand on the boy's head and ruffled his blond locks. "Yeh'll be okay on yer own. Yeh've been doin' it fer a long time, a li'l longer won't hurt yeh."

"…Don't like bein' alone," Naruto mumbled.

"Utakata'll be back," Rōshi reassured. _"I'll_ be back. Jus' keep practicin', eh? Mebbe when I come back, yeh'll be ready ter learn Yōton proper."

Naruto nodded, though he still looked downcast. "Alright. Good luck, Rōshi-oji."

_Aye, I'll need it._

-l-l-l-

Konoha was quiet.

Most of the time, when Naruto walked through the village, vendors hawked their wares, citizens crowded the streets, and the blond could barely move more than 10 feet without being forced to duck his head to avoid the scowl of some person. He'd gotten used to relegating the hustle and bustle of everyday life to background noise, especially as his training with Utakata and Rōshi had taken off, but there had always been a static, buzzy quality to it, nothing like the stillness currently enveloping him.

Now, with them gone and no noise to speak of, a loneliness he hadn't felt in months crept back into his bones and weighed him down, turning his walk into a trudge.

The two older Jinchūriki had taken him under their wings and given him the attention he'd desperately craved from people Rōshi would say weren't worth his time. And after months of ignoring the people who had steadfastly hated him, he was forced to admit that the Iwa-nin had a point; why did it matter what the villagers thought of him when he wasn't a part of their lives?

But then he reminded himself that he _wanted_ to be in their lives, sought to be the Hokage, their protector, and just pretending that they didn't matter wasn't going to lead him to his goal. He needed Konoha's citizens to acknowledge him – his strength, his ability, his simple presence – if he wanted to be their leader.

He'd eventually stopped bringing that goal up to his companions for fear that they might eventually decide he was no longer worth their time. Rōshi tended to scoff at his dream, his creased brow a reminder of his eternal skepticism. And Utakata, when he wasn't fast enough to school his features, just looked sad, as if Naruto's declaration was a painful memory despite only knowing each other for a short while.

He looked like that a lot, now that Naruto thought about it, especially when asked about Yagura and how he'd gotten to be the Mizukage.

The morning he'd arrived at their training area after the teenaged Jinchūriki had left, a pit had settled in his stomach. It was the fear that, despite what Utakata had said, it had been the blond's fault that someone who'd finally been willing to give him attention was gone, that someone who'd taken him seriously no longer considered him worthy. But Rōshi had still been there, and if the redhead had seemed just a little more annoyed than usual, it wasn't anything Naruto had really considered uncharacteristic. Months of training together hadn't erased the Iwa-nin's tendencies to be a grumpy old man.

As the days had stretched with no sign from the brunet, the idea that Utakata might not return – either by his own volition or due to other circumstances – festered, with only Rōshi's unyielding drive to continue the blond's training keeping his focus. And, fortunate or not, that was the only thing the Iwa-nin allowed his attention to fixate on; any questions he'd had about the Rokubi Jinchūriki's whereabouts were ignored and answered with grueling physical training.

That it had only taken three times to stop asking was an achievement all its own.

But the silence of the two older Jinchūriki was suspicious. Not enough to question their motives, especially since they were too tight-lipped to say anything, but enough to know that there was something they weren't telling him.

_What's going on? Why won't Utakata-nii and Rōshi-oji let me help?_

He huffed in annoyance, a deep scowl settling over his features. He was part of the team, and he wanted to help, but the Iwa- and Mist-nin wouldn't let him, too intent on training him to make him aware of their plan. Did they think he was too weak to be of assistance?

His fists clenched in anger. _I'm gonna be the next Hokage, damn it! I'll be the strongest there is!_

_"Remember, you need to stay calm. Go with the flow."_

Utakata's soothing voice ran through his head, and he automatically took a deep breath. His inhale was cleansing, and if he closed his eyes, he could almost feel the water of the river they trained in moving around him, a tranquil presence. _Think…think…_

Utakata and Rōshi had dedicated months to him, it didn't make sense for them to leave him without good reason. And the redhead had said they would both return, so he would just have to be patient.

Naruto released another huff, though this one was more despondent. Patience was not exactly one of his strengths, especially without either of the older Jinchūriki there to keep him focused.

But Rōshi _had_ given him a mission: persevere. Continue training. Work on the skills he and Utakata had spent arduous months beating into him, literally and figuratively.

_Alright, _he decided, fists clenched at his sides, _gotta keep working._

He glanced up, looking around to see if anyone was around to witness his renewed dedication. The streets were still empty. _I wonder where everyone is?_ Then he shrugged. _Oh well._

His attention wandered to the village's exterior, the treetops bunched together in an indeterminate mass. Without Rōshi and Utakata, it didn't feel right to return to the spot he normally met them for training, even if that was his intention while they were gone. But Konoha's reach was far, and there were plenty of places to undertake the mission Rōshi had left him.

With no set destination in mind, Naruto meandered away from the Hidden Leaf's dusty streets and towards its green jungle. The trees appeared to loom overhead with serene grace, silent sentinels protecting the young Jinchūriki. A feeling of security settled over him, the slouch in his shoulders straightening, the assurance in his step growing more pronounced as he walked.

It was strange to find comfort and strength in the silence, especially since he'd never particularly cared for being alone, but maybe the months of training with Rōshi and Utakata among nature had been transformative. Though he didn't always agree with how the Iwa-nin saw things, he still understood why the redhead thought the way he did.

Loneliness was a feeling all Jinchūriki understood, or so Utakata liked to say.

Naruto shook his head to rid himself of the negative feelings. _None of that,_ he told himself, Rōshi's rusty drawl echoing his thoughts. _Focus on your breathing, _and this time it was Utakata's voice accompanying his internal one.

His lips quirked of their own accord. Imagining the two older Jinchūriki being around, guiding him through their usual motions, helped offset the loneliness. With that thought in mind, he settled himself to his task, feeling energy ebb and flow throughout his body with each breath. He pushed his chakra into the earth on each exhale, feeling the unyielding nature of the dirt beneath him and finding an anchor to keep him tethered to his training.

He'd found out that learning Doton wasn't all that different from learning Suiton. Both elements were easier to manipulate from an existing source, and they both came easier to him when his mind was clear. Calm, Utakata liked to preach. Yet, despite that, they were also very different; water was in constant motion, always moving along the path of least resistance, whereas the earth was inert. Stubborn, Rōshi would grunt. Wielding either required focus, but different types: one a gentle, persistent hand to guide along a new path, the other a stubborn determination to force it to his will.

_Kinda like Utakata-nii and Rōshi-oji._

The thought of the old Iwa-nin gave him the final push he needed to activate his jutsu, fingers twisting through seals. "Doton: Doroku Gaeshi!"

The earth before him grumbled, the outline of a four-foot by four-foot block of hardened dirt breaking free. Sweat beaded his brow as he felt the Earth Shore Return resist him, not ready to budge from its resting place. "Move…you…stupid…_wall_…" he bit out through gritted teeth, pushing more chakra into the technique and willing it to rise.

The technique responded to his will, rising slowly but steadily until it stood erected before him. Naruto let out a long exhale and placed his hands on his knees, more tired by the mental exertion than the physical one. His breathing evened out within seconds, and he straightened, admiring his success with a grin. "Heh, you're missing out, Rōshi-oji."

His personal congratulation only served to emphasize once more how alone he was, the earthen wall reminding him of his red-haired tutor. Rōshi was stubborn and unmoving, a lot like the earth, but also quick-tempered and prone to outbursts, like a flame erupting from a spark. His mastery of Yōton made sense in that way, a perfect blend of the elements which matched his personality. Utakata was the same, just with water.

He wondered what that said about him, someone who could use all the elements. Rōshi and Utakata were both cool in their own ways, but the blond didn't want to turn out like them. They both seemed…stuck. Like they'd just accepted whatever had happened to them and grown more bitter and sad with each passing day.

And for Rōshi, that was a _lot_ of days.

But Naruto saw adversity as an opportunity for growth, to be better than he was, to grow stronger than the him of yesterday. That was how he would become the Hokage – by looking forward, not back.

A high-pitched chirping from the nearby trees pulled the blond from his thoughts. He'd gotten used to the sounds of nature over the months of training with the two older Jinchūriki, and nothing he'd heard sounded like the noise echoing through the treetops.

The chirping faded away just as he figured out the direction it was coming from, and he took off at a sprint towards its source. As the foliage around him blurred into indistinct browns and greens, the sounds of battle – as familiar to him now as getting beaten by Rōshi – reached his ears, a cacophony of crashes and yells.

A bright burst of blue-white light from between the trees forced the blond to squint, the shrill chirping sound from before erupting into a fever pitch. Naruto raced forward, stumbling to a halt with blue eyes wide as Uchiha Sasuke – left hand covered in a blinding aura – propelled himself towards a boy with a tan tail and a clawed hand as large as his body covering his right arm. _What is_ _that?!_

The pair met in midair, momentum carrying them past each other to land on separate tree branches over 50 feet apart. At the same time the strange boy's clawed arm detached from his body, Sasuke collapsed forward, the blue-white light around his hand disappearing with the high-pitched chirping.

Another claw formed along the other boy's left arm, and he dove for Sasuke with a maniacal laugh.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"

The tan claw spread around the boy as a protective sphere, the Great Fireball Technique breaking apart at the contact. More of the tan substance – it shifted so fluidly, like water, but looked more like dirt – appeared, forming another claw that grabbed the nearest tree bough and allowed the boy to swing around and over, landing in a crouch. His head turned over and glared down, part of his face distorted animalistically with the tan material. Naruto felt a shiver course through him. _Shit._

"Naruto?! What are you doing here?"

He turned at the voice, staring up into the treetops. "Sakura-chan?"

"Uchiha…Sasuke!"

"Sakura-chan, get Sasuke outta here! Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!"

Again the fireball was blocked by the tan material, and the same powerlessness Naruto had felt fighting Rōshi the first couple times, when the redhead had let him try his best because he knew it would never be enough, flooded his body. The strange boy kept moving towards his former classmates, and the blond reached out with one hand to forestall the threat in some way.

The claw reaching for his former classmates exploded, spraying small tan particles everywhere. _Sand,_ Naruto realized as it settled in his hair and on his clothes, peppering his skin as wide blue eyes remained fixated on the boy plummeting to the ground. _It's sand._

"Naruto, what's going on?!"

"Sakura-chan, just leave! I'll take care of this guy!"

The words spilled from his mouth without thought, but the second they left, he felt his resolve firm itself. This was what being a Hokage was about! _I'll protect Sakura-chan and Sasuke…even though I don't know what I did… _After all, he'd just sort of gestured toward the claw before it blew up… He stared at his hands in confusion. _Maybe 'cause sand is like dirt? So I used Doton? _

"NARUTO, WATCH OUT!"

He looked up at Sakura's voice, finding a flurry of sand shuriken coming at him. Reflexively, he brought his arms up in a cross to shield his face from the worst of the damage, but after several seconds, opened his eyes to discover that the projectiles targeting his body had veered off-course and hit the ground at his feet. _Eh?_

The situation was uncomfortably familiar, and he realized with a jolt that his first fight with Rōshi had gone much the same way, albeit with lava instead of sand. _Is he…?_

"You…" growled the boy, "how are you doing this?"

_I don't know! _His eyes darted upwards, finding Sakura frozen in place beside Sasuke.

"Mother, why are you—yes, of course I'll kill him. I'll kill all of them for you…"

The boy's hands were gripping his head, eyes closed in some internal pain, and he was muttering to a person Naruto couldn't see. "Uhh…"

Then bloodshot teal eyes snapped open, a scream echoing from the sand-user's mouth. More sand coalesced around him, forming an appearance more animalistic than human. A single tail – as long and thick around as a small person – coiled around him, blue vein-like markings decorating a tan body comprised entirely of sand. New claws formed along his arms and hands, ending in sharp black tips. _He looks kinda like a raccoon. But evil._

"DIE! Fūton: Mugen Sajin – Daitoppa!"

Naruto flipped through seals and slammed his palms on the ground. "Doton: Doroku Gaeshi!"

The earth in front of him broke free from the ground, creating a massive wall that protected him and his former classmates from the assault of wind and sand. _Wow, it's huge!_ He stared at his hands in amazement. _Did I do that? _His hands curled into fists. _I'm really getting stronger._

It was almost a relief to be able to acknowledge it. In training, Rōshi (and to a lesser extent, Utakata) tended to just keep pushing without ever really letting him sit back and admire his progress. Even then, working with the two Jinchūriki was slow; Rōshi didn't pull his punches, but Naruto also wasn't afraid of their fights.

But faced with this boy who seemed to want to kill him, the blond could feel his blood pounding in his ears, adrenaline coursing through his veins. And that made him feel…energized. Like everything he'd learned was snapping into place. The exertion he'd felt when trying to use the Earth Shore Return before was gone.

From his periphery, he could see Sakura in the same spot, still staring at him in shock. "GO!" he yelled. "Get outta—!"

The sound of breaking earth interrupted him, and he turned just in time to see the boy rocketing towards him through his crumbling Earth Shore Return. Naruto yelped as the full force of his opponent's clawed fist slammed into him, sending him careening into a thick tree trunk. Something in his left arm snapped upon impact.

_"AHHHHH!"_

The claw reached out again, extending from the demonic shinobi and wrapping around his body to hold him against the tree. Pain lanced along his broken arm as the sand constraining him tightened, and he found he could only gasp in a mixture of agony and breathlessness. _Not…strong…enough…_

The boy drew close, an animalistic nightmare easily twice as large as him. Naruto closed his eyes, willing himself to find calm, to find a way out of this situation he'd gotten into. _No…not calm,_ he decided. _Stubborn._

"I don't know how you did what you did," growled the boy, "but it doesn't matter. Once I kill you, I will find Uchiha Sasuke and kill him."

_Sand is just earth, and earth will move if I tell it to. Let me go._

Sand coiled around his legs, pulled him from the tree, and cocooned his body.

_I did it before. I'm not gonna die here. Let me go! I'm Uzumaki Naruto—_

"Sabaku Kyū!"

—_and I'm gonna be the next Hokage, BELIEVE IT!_

The sand surrounding him exploded outward, and his attacker was propelled back by the shockwave. Naruto landed on the ground with a hiss, broken arm hanging uselessly at his side. He could hear his kunai and shuriken clinking against each other for several seconds, as if quivering in anticipation, and his right hand went to his weapon pouch to silence the metal there. Deft fingers slipped inside and wrapped around the handle of a kunai, pulling it out and holding it defensively in front of him.

His opponent was gripping his head with both claws, shaking it back and forth and muttering to himself. Naruto took a moment to glance up at where Sakura had been standing and found her and Sasuke gone. With a sigh of relief, he turned back to his opponent, wondering how he could beat him. Can _I beat him?_ He didn't want to run away, but given his arm and the other boy's increasingly worrisome bloodlust, he wasn't sure he had any other options.

"—I want to—yes, just to please you, Mother—let me—yes, Mother, of course you can kill the Kyūbi—"

Naruto froze in his retreat, turning around to face the sand-covered creature. "What was that?"

The sand around the boy's hands sloughed away to reveal human fingers which came together in the sign of the Ram. "Tanuki Neiri no Jutsu!"

The Konoha native watched with wide-eyed horror as layers upon layers of sand poured forth from his opponent's body, pulling away from the raccoon-like shell surrounding him to reveal a boy his age with pale skin and hair the color of dried blood. The redhead rose under the mountain of sand, breaking through Konoha's lush canopy amidst a shrill cackle.

By the time he was done growing, Naruto's neck was craned almost vertically upward, mouth agape. A truly massive tanuki towered overhead, easily several hundred feet tall sitting on its haunches, its stout body formed from sand and marked by a design of black scribbles and dots in a seemingly random pattern. From his position on the ground, Naruto could only see dark patches where its eyes were supposed to be, though his own eyes were drawn to the single tail that arched over the creature's head, as long as its body.

_That's…that's a Bijū…_

Despite how often Rōshi and Utakata mentioned that they were Jinchūriki and that they each housed one of the Tailed Beasts, it had never really occurred to him what that meant. After all, the Kyūbi had been bested by the Yondaime, and the only evidence the blond had seen of it prior to meeting his two teachers had been a single drawing in a history book. But Naruto had always been so focused on the Fourth Hokage in that story that the scale of what he'd been up against had never registered.

_I've got that thing inside me? _His good hand moved to rest on his stomach. _No, worse…that's the Ichibi, and I've got the Kyūbi._

As if to prove his point, the tanuki's head moved, and Naruto found himself frozen by the yellow pinpricks of its eyes. "_Yahoo! C'mon, Kyūbi, let's play! It's time I showed you who the strongest _really_ is. Fūton: Renkūdan!"_

The Ichibi inhaled before pounding one sandy paw into its stomach, spitting out a ball of compressed air that impacted the surrounding area. Howling winds tore up a half-mile radius of forest, sending fully grown trees flying like toothpicks amidst a storm of green leaves. Naruto shielded his face with his good arm, finding stability with his back against a sturdy tree trunk, wind and debris slicing through his clothes and into exposed skin. _How do I fight this thing?!_

That he was even considering fighting the massive tanuki was insane on its own. Every instinct in his body screamed to run away, the mere presence of the One-Tail causing his body to vibrate in fear. Against such overwhelming might, what chance did he stand?

He shook his head to rid himself of that fear. Being abandoned by Utakata and Rōshi on their quest for more Jinchūriki made him feel…useless. Like his months of training hadn't accomplished anything, and he was just sitting around, waiting for them to return. But Naruto wasn't patient enough to just sit on his hands, and a Jinchūriki appearing in Konoha was just too perfect. It didn't matter that he was scared, he would befriend the Jinchūriki and prove to his two teachers that he could help in their mission.

Besides, he'd read the story of the Yondaime and the Kyūbi hundreds of times. If the Hokage could beat the Nine-Tails, then a Hokage-to-be could do the same against the One-Tail. It was the ultimate test of his future potential.

Another Drilling Air Bullet blasted through the forest, and this time, Naruto leaped out of its path. The One-Tail released another squeal of maniacal glee, and the blond took to the trees, circling around the massive creature to try to get out of its line of sight. His fire ninjutsu hadn't been effective even before the Ichibi had formed, which meant that it probably wouldn't work any better now. He extended his good arm towards the Tailed Beast, trying to pull the sand from its body and manipulate it like he'd done earlier, but after several seconds of nothing happening, he dropped the limb with a curse.

_Utakata-nii was right. I can't control it without training. The Kyūbi does._

_"Come out, come out, wherever you are! Fūton: Renkūdan!"_

More of the surrounding forest was ripped from its roots and thrown around in a maelstrom of winds that motivated Naruto to push forward, circling the tanuki's stocky body. He eyed the Ichibi's namesake, arched over its head. _That's how to get close._

The One-Tail's shrill cackling continued as the blond moved ever closer, Konoha's lush greenery torn asunder around him as the sand demon alternated between celebrating its freedom and screaming for the Kyūbi. Naruto thanked the gods that the Bijū seemed more distracted by blindly firing at its surroundings than actually taking the time to search for him, using his good fortune to creep close enough to leap from a tree to the massive sandy tail. His feet sunk into the sand upon landing, giving him some purchase, though he windmilled his good arm for balance. _Made it!_

Then the sand around his limbs began to shift. _Shit!_

He looked up to see the Ichibi's head craned as far back as it could, its jagged mouth smirking at him from over its shoulder. _"Heeheehee, you can't sneak up on me! My body, my domain!"_

Naruto dropped his good hand so it hung by his lame one, forming messy seals and focusing on the chakra in his belly. "Suiton: Mizurappa!"

Water spewed from his mouth in a strong spray aimed down, washing away the sand that was creeping up around his ankles. _Yes!_

He took advantage of his freedom, leaping from the tail and landing on the tanuki's rump. Immediately, more sand moved to capture him, twirling around his legs in snake-like fashion. Within seconds, it was up to his waist, his lame hand unreachable beneath silica. _Oi, stupid fox! If you want to live, you better give me your power!_

Good hand on the sand around his legs, chakra focused on the particulates there, the sand holding him in place sloughed away. _"KYŪBI!"_ howled the Ichibi. _"You can't control everything!"_

Spires of sand rose up around the blond and then spiked towards him. Naruto tried to deflect the sand away with the Kyūbi's ability, but it continued unimpeded, and he dove away at the last second, earning a gash along his thigh despite his effort. _Come on, you giant bastard, help me more than that!_

No response was forthcoming, not that he expected any. Temporarily free of any obstacles, he ran towards the tanuki's head, pace hindered by his new injury. A large wall of sand rose up before him, and when Naruto veered to the right, more sand formed to block his path. He expelled another Wild Water Wave at the surrounding silica, and while the inside layer clumped together and sloughed away from the rest, more took its place. He raised a hand to again try to control it, but the sand didn't even slow.

_Katon doesn't work, Doton doesn't work, even Suiton won't work anymore. Stupid Kyūbi only helps when it's convenient! I need something stronger…_

He only had one other trick, and despite practicing in secret (after Rōshi had shown him once to make up for Utakata's departure), he still hadn't gotten it to work. But he was pissed. And stubborn. And out of options.

Chakra born from his anger coursed through his right arm. His left arm – broken and unmoving – gathered even more. He maneuvered his hands together just as he had for the Wild Water Wave, focusing on his anger and stubbornness, remembering every lesson Rōshi had taught him, the liquid heat that had nearly barbecued him upon their first meeting, the words the red-haired Jinchūriki had yelled at him—

"Yōton: Yōnami!"

White-hot lava spewed from his lips in mimicry of the Mizurappa. It melted a hole in the wall of sand before him, and he darted through the opening with a cry of victory. A yowl of rage sounded out from high above, nearly drowning out the victory his blood was thundering in his ears. _Keep going, stay focused, make it to the top, _he chanted to himself. He didn't know what he'd find there, but since the sand that made up the Ichibi's body had formed beneath the red-haired shinobi, it made sense that his body would be at the head.

_"I'll kill you, Kyūbi!"_

_Not if I have anything to say about it! _Using his uninjured leg, Naruto used a little extra chakra to jump into the air and avoid the claws of sand that reached out from the tanuki's back. He performed a front-flip, spitting out a second Lava Release: Lava Wave at the sand threatening his life. The force of the expulsion blasted him backwards through a cloud of unformed silica until he impacted something hard with a grunt.

Naruto craned his neck from one side to the other to get his bearings, noting the triangular ears on either side. _I made it to the head!_ He almost felt like laughing, but there was no time to sit and ponder his fortune; staying still risked death, and judging by its screams, the Ichibi was as motivated as ever to kill him.

_"I feel you up there, Kyūbi! You won't escape me! Sabaku Sōtaisō Fūin!"_

Sand swirled around the blond, binding his arms to his sides and his legs together before he could react. The strange black markings that decorated the One-Tail's body crawled along the outside of the cocoon that encased the Leaf Jinchūriki. _Kyūbi! _Naruto called, his mental voice tremoring with terror. _Help me!_

Again there was no response, but this time, Naruto felt like he was shouting into an endless void. There was an emptiness inside that he hadn't felt throughout the fight, especially during the moments when he'd controlled sand, and that flooded him with an intense dread. He'd been relying on the fox's powers, on an ability he didn't fully understand, to help win the fight against the Ichibi, because it was important to Utakata to bring the Jinchūriki to their side, but now it seemed Rōshi had been right when he'd said Naruto wasn't ready.

The sand around him constricted, jostling the broken bones in his arm and forcing a protracted yell from his throat. He was in a prison up to his neck, one that kept getting tighter, squeezing the air from his lungs and keeping his body in constant agony. _I…I'm dying…_ His vision swam. _Sorry, Utakata-nii…Rōshi-oji…_

A flash of red and white blurred across his sight, and then a high-pitched shriek of fury made it to his ears before he blacked out, the pressure on his body slowly dissipating.

-l-l-l-

**Author's Note:** I guess there's been some confusion about the timeline here, so it should be noted that this chapter corresponds with the Chūnin Exams. The first part, when Utakata decides to leave, would take place during the written exam, and the month that he's gone and before Rōshi leaves is the time lapse between the second and third stages. Rōshi leaves shortly before the invasion begins. In total, Naruto has been trained for approximately 6 months.


	7. The Tanuki's Protection

_"Fūton: Kazekiri no Jutsu!"_

_Sand solidified around him, shielding him from the zephyrs. For a brief, quiet moment, he was surrounded by darkness. Alone._

_Then spikes of sand lanced out from his defense, impaling, suffocating, crushing every ounce of human flesh within reach. He could feel blood soaking the silica, slaking a week-long thirst._

_When the sand returned to the gourd on his back, he was surrounded by the mangled corpses of four Sand ANBU, bones peeking through skin that was wrinkled from exsanguination. The street was a graveyard, his own soul dead amidst the remains of others laying around him._

_Moonlight illuminated the street, yet he still felt completely enshrined in darkness. _

-l-l-l-

Bleary blue eyes opened to clean white walls and a framed picture of purple flowers in a vase. Naruto blinked several times to try to orient himself, turning his head from right to left and spying various machines surrounding his bedside. His focus stopped on one corner of the room, where a tall man wearing a red vest over olive-colored shirt and pants was slumped against the wall, eyes closed and arms crossed over his broad chest. A forehead protector with the kanji for 'oil' held back his wild mane of waist-length, spiky white hair.

There was something vaguely familiar about him, though he was sure he would have remembered seeing someone like him before, and his mind felt too fuzzy to focus. "Oi, ojii-san," he called, voice a rusty croak, "who're you? And where am I?"

The older man's eyes opened and settled on the Jinchūriki. "Well, look who finally decided to wake up. You're in the hospital. Brought you here myself after your fight with the Ichibi. As for who I am…" He leaned off the wall and came to stand before the bed, settling into a sort of theatrical crouch with limbs splayed wide. "I'm Mount Myōboku's holy Toad Sage, the Gallant Jiraiya of the Sannin! And I'm insulted that you think I'm old."

Naruto cocked his head to one side. "Eh? Never heard of you."

"What?! What are they teaching you kids these days?"

"Boring stuff," Naruto told him, attention roaming around the room to better get his bearings. "When can I leave?"

"Look kid, I appreciate your gumption, but you're not goin' anywhere. Your arm's broken, not to mention all the other scrapes you got. The Suna kid sure did a number on you."

_Suna kid…_ And this guy, Jiraiya, he'd said something about bringing him here after his fight with the Ichibi. His head still felt a little fuzzy, making it hard to focus on everything he was being told. _Can't think straight…_ "Where is he?"

"Who?"

"That kid you mentioned. From Suna."

Jiraiya arched an eyebrow. "Jail, obviously. He's a prisoner of war."

Naruto sat fully upright, angry blue eyes focused on his fists, which were clenched around the bed sheets. "Damn it!"

"Whoa whoa whoa, hold up there, kid." Jiraiya's hand pressed down on his shoulder, forcing the agitated blond back into his bed. "You're pretty energetic for someone who nearly died. You got somewhere better to be?"

"I've gotta…get back to training." The reason came out thin, grasping for words that would make more sense than the actual reason. "I'm not…I wasn't strong enough…" He trailed off, the weight of his loss and helplessness in the face of the sand demon a tangible thing. That, at least, was true. A sudden wave of disorientation hit him, forcing him to close his eyes.

"Hmm…" Jiraiya glanced between the downcast blond and the closed window. "Tell you what, kid. I've got a mission that'll take me out of the village for a bit. You agree to come with me, I'll spring you from this place and give you some personal training. I've got some pretty cool jutsu I can teach you. How 'bout it?"

Blue eyes opened to slits and scrutinized Jiraiya. Naruto took a moment to gather his thoughts, fighting the pull of the drugs being pumped into his system, and then twitched the shoulder of his broken arm as if to bring the white-haired man's attention to it. "How can I learn jutsu if I can't use my arm?"

"A truly magnificent shinobi won't let himself be handicapped by something so mundane," Jiraiya admonished boisterously. Soberly, he continued, "But I've got a cool jutsu for you that only needs one hand to learn, if you're up for it."

"Really? That'd be awesome!" Then he frowned. "But only if the Suna kid can come, too."

Jiraiya's brow furrowed. "Kid, do you have any idea what you're asking? Not only is Gaara the Ichibi Jinchūriki, but he's the youngest son of the late Kazekage, and the lynchpin of the biggest attack Konoha's weathered since the Kyūbi. He's also been diagnosed as a narcissist with severe sociopathic tendencies. You're talking about a textbook political POW, and an unstable one at that. Even if I could get him released, why would I _ever_ bring him with us?"

"You wouldn't get it."

The older man leaned forward, hands gripping the bed rails. Dark eyes bored into blue, the red lines trailing from beneath them framing a mouth set in a flat line. "Try me. I'm a pretty smart guy."

Naruto hesitated, unsure how to respond. Jiraiya was a complete stranger, and even though he seemed kind, especially compared to the experiences he'd had with people growing up, Utakata and Rōshi had told him not to say anything about them, and he wanted to keep that promise. Besides, even if he wanted to, he wasn't sure what he'd say. Utakata and Rōshi had never really made him privy to their plan; all he knew was that they needed the Jinchūriki to help the Mizukage, and that meant they needed the Suna-nin. _Gaara,_ he reminded himself_._ "I can help him," he asserted with more confidence than he felt.

Trepidation rocked his body, the lull of his medications temporarily overridden as Jiraiya continued to stare at him. There was something in the Sannin's gaze, like he was looking into the blond's soul, reading every miniscule twitch of his face for a hint to his secrets. Naruto gulped. _He knows I'm lying!_

Then Jiraiya threw back his head and let out a loud belly laugh. "You've got guts, kid! I like that." He opened his eyes and gave the boy a wide grin. "Lemme see what I can do. Not only am I smart, but I'm pretty resourceful when I want to be."

"Uh…okay."

"Oh ho, you doubt my greatness? I'll just have to prove myself then." He walked over to the window, opened it, stuck one leg out, and made sure to turn around – body crouched over the frame – to toss the blond a devil-may-care grin. "See you soon!"

Naruto found he could only blink as the older man disappeared from view. Then, with nothing better to do, he relaxed back against the hospital pillows and closed his eyes. _What a weirdo._

-l-l-l-

Grey stone walls and dank, stale air surrounded him. It was ironic, a prison in human form contained in an actual prison.

Or it would have been if he actually understood irony.

_I am…bored._

It was strange that he suddenly found himself with time – or more accurately, with clarity – to consider that thought. For so long, he'd been plagued with seeking out the next victim to validate his existence, the voice in his head helping to guide him along, but now, that voice was undeniably silent.

_I am…alone. _He cocked his head to the side, considering that thought. _No. Lonely._

For someone who was used to being isolated, it was a strange feeling.

The creak of metal made its way to his ears, the _click-clack_ of wood on stone echoing within the prison's walls. A shadow fell over his cell, but he ignored it; he was used to the guards' routine of dropping off food, checking to make sure he was still alive, and then leaving.

"Well aren't you a sad sight."

He raised his head at the voice, finding a large man with long white hair and a red vest standing in front of his cell, arms crossed over his chest. "You are not a guard."

"Got it in one, kid. We weren't formally introduced at our last encounter; probably something to do with the giant sand tanuki taking over your body and hijacking your conscious. Name's Jiraiya. Normally got a whole routine I do to wow the kids, but this place is kinda gloomy, and you don't seem like you're all that easy to impress, are you, Sabaku no Gaara?"

Gaara continued to stare at his visitor, expression flat and unmoving. "Tough crowd," Jiraiya muttered. He took a step closer to the cell, letting his arms fall to his side. "Good news, kid. I'm gonna get you outta this place." At the boy's lack of reaction, the Sannin arched an eyebrow. "You don't appear too enthused."

"You curry no good will by freeing me. The Kazekage does not look favorably upon useless weapons."

"Well first off, the Kazekage's dead, so his opinion means squat." He paused, as if to give Gaara time to react to the news of his father's death, but if the Sand Genin was surprised, he didn't show it. "Second, it's not my job to try to please Suna. If you think Konoha would let me negotiate your release for that, you're…well, I was gonna say crazy, but that seems kind of insensitive. Apt though." Gaara's stoicism remained impregnable, and Jiraiya scratched the side of his head. "Oooor you don't care. Whatever. Naruto won't go with me unless you come along, so along you're coming."

Gaara blinked. "Who is Naruto?"

"The blond brat you fought against in the forest." A flicker of emotion finally crossed the Suna-nin's face, his pupil-less teal eyes narrowing in irritation. _Ah _ha_, so you _are _capable of emotion. Interesting._ "Strange that he'd ask you to come along when you don't seem to know each other, hm?"

"…You would trust me to accompany you and…Naruto?" The name was foreign on his lips, but now that he knew it, it echoed throughout every quiet corner of his mind, a mantra that ignited a new fire in his veins. The way his mother had _shrieked _about killing the resilient blond…Gaara hadn't felt that much rage and bloodlust in ages. Even his obsession with Uchiha Sasuke didn't compare. _Naruto…I _will_ kill you._

_"Hah! _Hardly. I'm assuming you've figured out by now that there's something wrong with your chakra. You should know that I'm the reason for that." Chakra lit up along his fingertips, which he waved at the imprisoned boy. "Nasty little sealing technique. Even works on Jinchūriki.

"Yeah," he continued at the slight widening of Gaara's eyes, "I know _all_ about you. So don't think you'll be able to do anything you're used to while we're together. Trust me, kid, however good you think you are, you're not as good as me. Got it?" He didn't receive an answer – not that he expected one – and continued by clapping his hands once, rubbing them together as if scheming something. "So, now that we're on the same page—" he grinned slightly when the Suna-nin finally acknowledged their arrangement with the barest of head nods, "—let's get you outta here."

-l-l-l-

"Alright—"

Naruto jolted awake, looking around the room in a mild panic.

"—let's go!"

"Uh—wha?" Blue eyes finally found Jiraiya crouched outside the open window on…_ What's he standing on? _"What's going on?"

"I've got your friend right here." Something long, pinkish-red, and wet – _Is that a tongue?!_ – appeared in his view, wrapped around a figure wearing an unamused expression and possessing hair the color of dried blood. It disappeared from view, and Jiraiya hopped into the hospital room. "Told you I'm resourceful. So, since I did you that favor, you're comin' with now, yeah? 'Cause we got…not a whole lotta time."

"Uh, I guess?"

Jiraiya beamed. "Great!" He strode over to the bedridden boy and grabbed the central line in the crook of Naruto's arm. With careful fingers, he pulled it out, then began unhooking the pulse oximeter and any other lines connected to the blond. Beeps and whines from the surrounding hospital equipment filled the room, and the Sannin quickly scooped Naruto over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. The door to the room opened, and a nurse entered. She seemed frozen at the sight before her, and Jiraiya shot her a quick glance before announcing, "That's our cue."

He jumped out the window amidst the nurse's yelling, and from his downward-facing position, Naruto got a view of a giant toad's warty head rising up to meet him. The blond grunted upon landing, though it was drowned out by Jiraiya's yelled, "Let's go!"

The toad they were on leaped away from the hospital, landing hundreds of feet away in an empty training field. Jiraiya set Naruto on his feet in the moment of stillness, but he fell over when the amphibian again jumped, bringing them into the Land of Fire's vast forest. The toad's tongue came up and deposited a slimy Gaara – lips turned down in annoyance – beside the blond. "Hold on tight, kiddos," Jiraiya advised. He stood with feet splayed wide, arms crossed over his chest, waist-length white hair whipping in the wind. Naruto stared at him with a slack jaw, awed by the older man's powerful presence, a ship's captain staring out at the vast sea. "This'll be a bumpy ride."

Naruto leaned back on his hands, not trusting himself to find steady footing, and winced when too much pressure was put on his broken arm. "Where're we goin'?"

"To find the next Hokage."

"Eh? Why? Did something happen to Hokage-jii-san?"

Jiraiya angled his head so he was facing the blond. His expression was the most somber Naruto had seen in their short interactions so far. "The Sandaime was killed during the Suna-Oto invasion." Shock pulsed through Naruto's body, his mind suddenly blank at the revelation. It must have been visible on his face, for the Sannin turned to face forward again to avoid looking at him. "I'm sorry you had to find out like this. The hospital's been short-staffed and overworked since the invasion, and some of the higher-ups thought it prudent to keep you under sedation because of the Kyūbi."

Unable to process all the information, Naruto latched on to the last thing Jiraiya had said, asking in a strained voice, "The Kyūbi?"

"People fear what they don't understand, kid. Fear leads to stupid, often irrational, decisions. And the Kyūbi…well, I'm sure you already know all about that. You and your friend there."

Naruto looked at the redhead, as if suddenly remembering he was there. Gaara stared back, expression intense yet unreadable. There seemed to be no soul in his gaze, and he forced himself to turn back to the Sannin. "What, uh…" There were too many questions in his mind – questions about the Sandaime, about the invasion, their mission, Gaara – that he couldn't focus on getting out any of them.

"New Hokage's name is Tsunade," Jiraiya announced. He seemed to have realized Naruto's state and was trying to answer as many of the boy's unspoken questions as possible. "We used to be teammates, but she's retired now."

The singular line of thought broke through his haze, and Naruto asked, "Retired? Then how's she gonna be Hokage?"

Jiraiya tossed him a grin. "I've got a plan. Don't worry, she'll come back. Mark my words."

They fell silent as the toad continued to leap through the Land of Fire, both consumed with their thoughts. Emotionless teal eyes flickered between the blond boy and the white-haired man's back, studying them. Gaara flexed his hand, trying to summon a trace amount of sand from his gourd. No particulates responded, and the corners of his lips turned down in an unnoticed frown. _Hmm…_

-l-l-l-

"You said you had a cool jutsu I could learn with one hand."

"So I did," Jiraiya agreed. The trio – their toad escort had been released back to wherever it came from – were settled in a clearing deep within the Land of Fire, the late afternoon sun filtering through the treetops. Naruto fidgeted while watching Jiraiya, enjoying the combination of warmth tempered by a slight breeze even as he waited for the older man's instruction. "Watch this."

He held out his hand, and after a moment, a sphere of swirling chakra the size of a large orange formed in his palm. The blue of Jiraiya's chakra matched the blue of Naruto's wide eyes as he stared in amazement at the technique. "The Rasengan," announced the Sannin. "Recognize it?" Naruto shook his head. "Honestly, what _are_ they teaching you kids these days? This is one of the Yondaime's signature jutsu."

_"Coool! _What's it do?"

Instead of responding, Jiraiya walked over to a nearby tree and thrust the Rasengan into it. The _crunch_ of splintering bark filled the area, followed by the creak of the falling foliage. Once the tree was grounded, the Sannin turned to the blond and said, "That's as good as you'll get, unless you want to volunteer to experience it firsthand." Naruto shook his head in rigorous denial, though his eyes remained enthusiastically bright. Jiraiya tossed the boy a water balloon. "Start with this."

"What do I do with it?"

"Pop it, obviously. Use your chakra. Don't get discouraged if you don't get it right away; it took the Yondaime three years to create the Rasengan, and it took me months to learn it using this method." He waved a lazy hand through the air as he walked in the direction of the village they'd seen before settling down. "I'll check in on your progress later. Gonna go do some reconnaissance in the meantime. Have fun!"

He disappeared in a swirl of leaves, and the Jinchūriki was left shouting to no one, "Months?!"

Naruto grumbled into the open air when it became apparent that Jiraiya could no longer hear him, nonsensical mutterings that only served to vent his annoyance. It was a habit he'd picked up from Rōshi, who'd often taken to grousing to himself (especially when Utakata tried a gentler approach) during the earlier days of their training, and mimicking it eased the sudden resurgence of abandonment he felt.

Breathing deeply to soothe his irritation, just as Utakata had taught him, he focused on the task at hand. Thinking of the older Jinchūriki reminded him that he'd undergone months of training to get to where he was currently, and neither demon container had yet _officially_ begun training him in their respective Bijū powers. If he could hold out for that, then he could do the same for learning the Rasengan.

_In. Out._ "There's water inside," he murmured, his chakra probing the balloon. Using the lessons Utakata had taught him, he manipulated the water's shape, swirling it around within the confines of the balloon. _It's easier like this._ Water was normally so untamable, especially since he was used to practicing with the unyielding flow of the river, that concentrating enough to perform fine manipulations like the Kiri-nin could was a struggle. Here, with only a small amount of water stuck in an unmoving, unchanging package, focusing was easy.

Water swirled within the balloon, an unseen vortex that caused the whole thing to shake in his palm. His tongue poked out between his lips, brow furrowing in concentration. "C'mon, _c'mon_…" He worked his chakra in the water, forcing it into a tumultuous maelstrom. Seconds later, the balloon exploded from the internal pressure, soaking Naruto's face with water. _"HA,_ yes!"

"You accomplished that quickly."

Naruto jumped, head whipping around to find Gaara standing not 10 feet away. The redhead was so quiet that the blond kept forgetting he was on the mission, especially since Jiraiya almost effortlessly pulled all attention to himself. "Yeah, uh, thanks." Awkwardness filled the silence, and the Leaf native suddenly became aware of how strange it was to be in such close proximity to someone who, upon last recollection, had been seconds away from killing him. "So, uh, how're you doin'?"

Teal eyes continued to stare at him. Naruto repressed a shiver, finding nothing in the other boy's expression except the cold, uncaring promise of death. "Why do you care?" he finally asked, tone as dry as the desert he hailed from.

"Because…we're the same, y'know?" Naruto turned his gaze away from the redhead, unable to maintain eye contact any longer, and instead focused on fiddling with the broken pieces of rubber remaining in his hand. "You're a Jinchūriki, I'm a Jinchūriki…" he trailed off, suddenly aware that he knew nothing else about the redhead. With a tinge of hope in his voice, he asked, "Isn't that enough?"

"No." His tone left no room for argument. "I am alone, a product of darkness. Just me…and Mother." His brow furrowed, and he stared at his hands, turning them over to examine both sides, flexing fingers keeping his attention. "And now it is just me." Tiny particulates of sand hovered around his fingers. "There is nothing in caring for others, and in killing you, I will prove my existence."

"You're wrong!" Naruto clenched his trembling fists and held them rigidly at his side. "Everything I've learned, I learned from people I care about! They're Jinchūriki just like us, and they're the reason I was able to beat you! Why I can do this!" He held out his hand, gesturing to the broken balloon. "They care about me; they're the most important people in my life!"

Gaara was clutching his head with both hands. He shook it back and forth, seemingly caught in the throes of some personal nightmare. "Shut up," he growled. "Caring causes weakness. I will be strong. I will kill you!"

Naruto thought of his life, how alone he'd felt before Utakata and Rōshi had discovered him and taken him under their wings. The crippling loneliness, the lack of anyone to push him towards his dream…it was easy to see how Gaara had turned out the way he had. Rōshi hadn't been all that different at the beginning. _Did Rōshi-oji and Utakata-nii feel like that? _"You're wrong," he told Gaara, conviction strong in his voice, "and I'll prove it to you."

He held out his hand for Gaara to shake, hoping the other boy would bridge the gap and take it, a show of camaraderie. The redhead stared at the proffered appendage for a long moment, scrutinizing it, and then turned and walked away from the blond. Naruto watched him go, a forlorn expression crossing his features. _Maybe next time._

-l-l-l-

Gaara watched from his seated position on the ground as Naruto struggled with the task he'd been given. Jiraiya had been visibly shocked to discover the blond's success with the water balloon when he'd returned after his reconnaissance, though he'd quickly schooled his features and tossed his pupil a rubber ball with instructions to pop it and a warning that it would be much harder than the balloon.

That had been a week ago, and Naruto's frustration was apparent.

_I understand your pain._

His hands paused in their movements as he considered the thought, his practice interrupted. The cloud of sand particles floating in the air around him fell to the ground, free of his influence, and he frowned at his lapse. While Naruto was dealing with trying to break the rubber ball, the Suna-nin's free time was spent trying to regain the control of his sand that Jiraiya's seal had apparently shut down.

The process was arduous, painfully so, but over the hours and days of travel and training, his power had slowly but surely returned. It was fractional, nowhere near what he was used to, but it was coming back. For once in his life, Gaara was struggling, and in watching – observing, studying – Naruto's plight, he felt…kinship.

…_Strange._ The last time he'd felt anything close to this was in his meetings with Uchiha Sasuke, but there the connection had been emotionless. In Sasuke, he'd seen only the same desire to prove himself, to be the best by destroying the opposition. But now Gaara was as powerless as he'd ever been, neutered by the meddlesome Jiraiya, and watching someone he'd marked for death struggle against the odds was…invigorating.

He waited for the call in his mind, the voice of Mother, excitedly urging him to relish in the thrill of his victim's futility, but it never came, and the redhead was once again reminded of how alone he was. For years, he'd listened to Mother's voice, ranging from whispers to shrieks, and because of that, he'd never noticed the solitude. And before her, he'd had—

_Yashamaru…_

Gaara gripped his head with both hands, teal eyes closing to shut out the images that flashed before them. His uncle's kind, violet eyes and sad smile invaded the darkness behind his eyelids, the memory of the man's voice echoing in his head. _"There is only one thing that can stop such heartache. As inconvenient as it may seem, this cure can only be given by people other than yourself…"_

_"_…_What is it?"_

_"It's love!"_

"Shut up," he whispered.

A hand landed on his shoulder. "Hey, are you okay?"

Teal eyes snapped open, and Gaara threw out a hand that smacked a tan arm away, rasping in a panicked voice, "Go away!"

A small ball of sand formed between them and then burst, specks of grit striking Naruto's chest. The force was just enough to push the blond away but not injure him. Gaara stared at the spot where the other Jinchūriki's hand had been, unable to appreciate the small display of control over his abilities. "You…touched me."

"Well…yeah. You looked like you were in pain."

"Pain?"

_He held a hand to his heart. "Although it doesn't bleed, this part hurts so much…"_

_"Bodies bleed upon physical injuries, and they may look quite painful…but eventually, the pain will wear off as time passes, and they can heal faster with medical aids. What are more serious are emotional scars…they are the hardest to heal."_

_"Emotional scars?"_

_"Physical and emotional scars are a bit different…unlike physical ones, there's no ointment available for emotional ones…and pain may never go away…"_

No one had touched him since that day…since Yashamaru had taught him about pain and love and then ripped that all away in a single instance of vengeful fire. The Sand Armor that protected him, and his thirst for death, made it so that no one tried. That someone had – some strange boy he'd sworn to kill – was…anomalous. Inexplicable. "I do not feel pain," he said, voice robotic, gaze cast into the distance. "I feel nothing but love only for myself, and hatred for others."

"That sounds sad."

Gaara turned his head away, unable to continue keeping the blond with the empathetic blue eyes in his field of vision. _…It is._

"You know…you don't have to be alone." Naruto's voice was quiet. Somber. "I know people like you, like _us_…we were sad, too. But now that we have each other, we're happy. Uh, well, happier, anyway. Caring about other people and having people that care about you is a good thing."

Gaara closed his eyes again in an attempt to block out the understanding in the other boy's voice. "Shut up and leave me alone."

"If you're sure… I'm here if you want to talk, though." Naruto turned and began to walk away, but then he snapped his fingers and rushed back to the redhead. "Hey, how'd you do that sand ball thing? Can you show me?!"

The redhead turned a confused expression to the blond. "Sand…ball?"

"Yeah! The, uh, you know—" he moved his good hand so it was close to the broken one held in place by a sling at chest level, then quickly pulled them apart and imitated an explosion, "—_poh!_ That thing you just did."

Stunned by the request, by the idea that he'd somehow made more progress with regaining his sand manipulation while in a fit of madness than during a week of focused practice, the Suna-nin lifted his hand and summoned sand to his palm. A ball of silica slowly formed until it was roughly the size of an apple. He stared at it for a long moment, brow furrowed, and in his mind's eye, he pictured the sphere exploding.

The sand ball obeyed, bursting outwards in every direction. Naruto's gaze flickered from the redhead's now-empty palm to the particulates falling to the ground. "Huh…you can make it go in all directions at once," he muttered. "Like how Utakata-nii does, but he uses water. And you use sand. Here it's just air. I can't do anything with _air._ Can I just use chakra? Jiraiya used chakra, so it's gotta be possible…"

Gaara watched as the Kyūbi Jinchūriki walked away, mumbling to himself all the while. _He also talks to himself…_

And for the second time that day, he felt kinship with the blond.

-l-l-l-

"Rrrr, _damn it!"_

"Your persistence is impressive."

"Like you're one to talk," Jiraiya interjected, "practicing your sand jutsu day in and day out. Where's it gotten you?"

Gaara scowled at the older man, reaching out towards him with one hand. A small stream of sand flowed out of the gourd of his back and reached for the Sannin. Jiraiya swatted away the attempted assault and laughed. "Well, aren't we cheeky today?" Then he grew serious. "But see what continued practice gets you?"

The redhead turned away from the older man and instead focused on the hustle and bustle of Tanzaku Gai in an effort to ignore him. People were everywhere, hawking street food and wares, talking to one another, flowing in and out of different establishments, and Gaara found it all to be too much. While not the size of the Hidden Sand, it certainly felt more crowded, doubly so from the street itself as opposed to an open rooftop where his reputation guaranteed him solitude and, more importantly, _space_.

With only limited control over his sand and Mother's whisperings absent in his mind, the Sand Genin felt more on edge than usual, uncomfortable in a confined space with no way to escape or create his own path out.

"Hey—"

Gaara twitched, startled by the voice, and swiveled to find Naruto walking beside him.

"—are you doin' okay? You don't look so good."

He stared at the blond, teal meeting blue, neither breaking eye contact. Discomfort roiled in the Suna-nin's gut at Naruto's concerned gaze; he hadn't seen someone look at him with such care since Yashamaru. Most other people would have backed down or averted their eyes when confronted by his intense stare, but this boy…his strength of will was beyond what Gaara was used to.

He turned away from the blond, fixing his sight straight ahead and muttering, "People…there are too many people…" As he spoke, he realized his hands were shaking, the quivering feeling in his gut spreading throughout the rest of his body. "I cannot…no control…"

"Uh, Jiraiya—"

But the Sannin had already turned and grabbed the red-haired Jinchūriki, throwing him over his shoulder and leaping to the nearest rooftop. When the Sannin's actions registered, Naruto followed him, finding the older man setting Gaara down and then stepping away. He threw out a hand when Naruto landed. "Stay back, kid, give him some room."

"What—"

"He's having a panic attack," Jiraiya explained, voice quiet but hurried. "He's grown up in isolation most of his life, this place might be too much for him. And let me tell you, kid, the last thing we need is him losing control in the middle of the town."

"We need to help him!"

"Even sealed, it's dangerous to get near an unstable Jinchūriki—Naruto!"

The blond was creeping closer to the Suna-nin, every step wary of the sand that was rising around the redhead in protective strips. It did nothing but float in the air as Gaara trembled in place, muttering to himself. Naruto rushed the last several steps towards the other boy and placed both hands upon his shoulders, wincing as his injured arm protested the motion. Gaara's wild eyes rooted him in place, and Naruto swallowed hard, realizing that he'd once again stepped into a situation with the Ichibi Jinchūriki that he was sorely prepared for. "Gaara…you need to calm down.

"I know…" he licked dry lips, pushing through the fear and forcing himself to continue, "I know what it's like to be beaten down by people. They don't get people like us, and that sucks, but you can get through this. 'Cause there _are_ people who we can be around…other Jinchūriki, people like you and me, people who make life worth it. You don't always have to be scared of people, trust me. But you gotta calm down. _Please."_

Slowly, Gaara's breathing evened out, his eyes returned to their normal, flat gaze, and the sand floating in the air around him lost cohesion and dropped to the ground. Naruto let his arms fall to his sides, sliding his wounded arm back into its sling as the redhead rose to his feet. Gaara shot him a brief glance and exhaled a quiet, unsure, "…Thank you…"

Naruto smiled at him, suddenly hopeful. "You're welcome."

"Damn, kid," Jiraiya exclaimed, "you've got balls of steel. Maybe not a lot of brains, but balls for sure."

"Eh, thanks?"

"Why don't you two stay here for a bit, hm?" the Sannin suggested. "So long as you promise to play nice, anyway. You haven't killed each other so far, so I think it'll be okay." He glanced between the pair. "Right?"

"Yeah, we'll be okay."

Jiraiya nodded. "Then I leave you to it. I'll be back soon." And then he was gone.

Naruto glanced around as the smoke from Jiraiya's Shunshin dissipated, finding Gaara standing at the roof's ledge and looking down at the city below. He approached the redhead and stood beside him at a respectable distance, shooting the other boy a quick side-eye. "You're, uh, not gonna jump or anything, right?"

"No," came the flat reply. He turned to grace the blond with the full brunt of his dead-eyed stare. "What do you want from me?"

"What?"

"You are…present. Constantly. You remind me of someone who…cared." He frowned, the concept of caring utterly foreign. "Caring is for people who love each other, but I tried to kill you. Your death would prove my existence, yet…" He turned back to the street below, unwilling to finish the thought. "You do not make sense to me."

"You can care about anyone!" Naruto protested. "Family, friends—"

"I have no friends."

"I'm your friend!" He fought the urge to wither under Gaara's unblinking stoicism, instead meeting the redhead's teal eyes with his jaw set at a stubborn angle. "Listen to me, damn it! Maybe all that crap is true – maybe you do suck at caring and, yeah, you tried to kill me – but that doesn't matter! That's all in the past. We've gotta look out for each other _now_. And in the future! Because I care about you, and you're my friend, and that's what friends do, believe it!"

Gaara didn't respond in the face of the blond's tirade, staring at the other boy unblinkingly. Finally, he said, "You know nothing about me."

"You're a Jinchūriki, like me," Naruto asserted. "That's all I need to know."

Gaara let out a snort and returned his gaze to the hustle of Tanzaku Gai below, finding he had nothing to say in response to the blond's optimistic authority.

-l-l-l-

"C'mon, c'mon…"

Naruto focused intently on the rubber ball in his hand as it swelled and bulged under the influence of his chakra. He poured more energy into the sphere, willing it to move in every direction imaginable, until it finally exploded with a violent burst of air. "Hell yeah!"

Taking deep breaths to calm himself from his victory, the blond glanced over at Gaara to see if the redhead had any reaction to his success. The Suna-nin seemed content to remain where he was, staring out over the town from their rooftop vantage point.

He sighed at the lack of response, wishing not for the first time that Utakata was around to offer his usual dose of measured praise. The day after Gaara's panic attack, Jiraiya had deemed it best for them to remain behind while he continued to work on persuading Tsunade – whom he'd apparently found – to take up the mantle of Hokage. In turn, Gaara had opted to spend most of his time outside the claustrophobic hotel room, taking up station on the roof where he could watch the city in stoic silence.

It wasn't all that different from how the past several weeks had gone, except now Naruto kept catching the redhead staring at him. The looks were…odd. Naruto didn't feel like Gaara was seeing him as a piece of meat anymore, but what he did see, the blond couldn't say. The Suna-nin was harder to read than Rōshi, albeit trading the Iwa-nin's grumpiness for sheer apathy.

"Jiraiya has returned."

"Really?" Naruto bounded over to his fellow Jinchūriki, peering down over the roof's ledge to spy the older man's white hair on the street below. "He's back early." He jumped down to greet his mentor, yelling, "Jiraiya, I did it! I—hey, you don't look so good."

"Tsunade," Jiraiya grunted. "Damn stubborn woman drugged me. She's gonna do something stupid. Come on, I know where she's staying."

Naruto nodded feverishly, Jiraiya's tone conveying the urgency of the situation. "Gotcha. Hey Gaara, let's go!"

He looked up to see if the Suna-nin would acknowledge him, receiving a curt head bob in reply. Naruto grinned, following behind Jiraiya with a skip in his step that appeared contrary to the older man's doddering trudge. As the Sannin led him through the city, Naruto shot periodic glances at the rooftops, making sure that Gaara was still following along. Each flash of short blood-red hair caused his grin to grow. _I think he's comin' around!_

Jiraiya halted in front of a five-story hotel that appeared unremarkable compared to the others around it. "Third floor, second window." They leaped up to the balcony, and the Sannin let out a curse as he looked through the glass. "Damn it, Tsunade." He pounded one fist against the glass and yelled, "Shizune!"

A woman with short, dark hair began to stir from her prone position on the carpeted floor. Naruto watched her rise slowly, bringing a hand up to cradle her head. When she finally looked in their direction, she blinked twice, then asked, "Jiraiya-sama?"

"Let us in, Shizune." The woman hurried to obey, unlocking the door and letting the pair inside the room. "Where's Tsunade?"

Shizune shook her head. "I tried to stop her, but she wouldn't listen! She—"

"Went to see Orochimaru," Jiraiya finished. At Shizune's surprised expression, the Sannin waved away her shock. "Yeah, I know about that. Former teammates, I kinda know how he thinks. And how Tsunade thinks. What I _don't_ know is the specifics, or _where. She. Is._"

"I can take you to her."

"Great. But first, can you heal me? Tsunade drugged me, and it's affecting my chakra and motor skills. And since I might be fighting both Orochimaru _and_ Tsunade, I need to be in peak condition."

"I…I'm sorry, Jiraiya-sama, but I can't. Tsunade-sama's the only one with the skills to reverse the effects of her poisons."

"Damn it!" He glanced down at Naruto, who was scrutinizing Shizune with a critical eye, trying to follow a conversation he didn't understand. "Can you fix the kid's arm then? I have a feeling I'm gonna need all the help I can get."

Shizune hesitated, dark eyes flashing towards the surprised blond. "Yes, but…is it wise to bring someone so young into this fight?"

"No, but I don't seem to have any better options. And it's gonna get worse," he muttered while Shizune knelt down and applied healing chakra to the blond's arm, the pair introducing themselves to each other. "Gaara!" he shouted. "Get in here!" The Suna-nin alighted soundlessly on the balcony, staring at the older man with arms crossed over his chest. "I don't trust you, and you don't trust me. But right now, I need your strength.

"I can't unseal you, but I've been watching you. Your chakra is still there, and so is your power. You can control it if you put your mind to it. In spite of everything, I'm hoping that you're willing to use that power to help me. So…please help me."

Naruto's gaze was fixated on the redhead as he digested Jiraiya's plea. This was the ultimate test of whether the Suna-nin had really absorbed any of the words he'd tried to impart over the last month. That he'd listened to the Sannin at all was a drastic improvement.

After a long period of silence, Gaara finally asked, "Can I kill them?"

Jiraiya smirked. "You're welcome to try."

"Then I accept."

"Great. Shizune, is the kid ready?"

"Yes, Jiraiya-sama."

"Then let's go."

Jiraiya jumped out the window and was followed by Shizune, Naruto, and then Gaara. The two Jinchūriki stayed together behind the older pair as they leaped from one rooftop to the next, Shizune overtaking the Sannin in order to lead the quartet. Naruto ignored the pair's conversation, choosing instead to shoot curious glances at the Suna-nin while flexing his hand and rotating his now-healed arm. _Feels good as new… _Blue eyes flickered to Shizune's back. _Medical shinobi are awesome._ He shot another look at Gaara before asking, "How come you decided to help?"

"Killing strong people verifies my existence," intoned the redhead. "If Jiraiya feels he needs help to combat this threat, then the enemy must be worthwhile."

"Oh…"

"Did you expect a different response?"

"I dunno, I thought maybe you thought about what I've been sayin'."

Gaara's teal eyes locked with his in a dull stare. "Your words are meaningless."

_"Your _words are meaningless!" Naruto shouted in frustration. "Life's hard, but it won't get better unless you try! Try, damn it!"

"Naruto!" Jiraiya snapped. His head was turned to face the pair of Jinchūriki, attracted by the blond's raised voice. "Now's not the time. I need both of you at the top of your game right now, which means no distractions." Naruto lapsed into silence at the reprimand, a flush of shame and anger coloring his face. With his words apparently taking effect, the Sannin added in a sober voice, "And you should realize that…some people just can't change."

The quartet was silent after that, each member consumed by his or her own thoughts, until they reached an older section of town partitioned by stone walls. Naruto gaped at the destruction that greeted them, pieces of rubble from broken wall segments strewn about the area. Scattered craters and fissures scarred the ground. "What—"

Jiraiya whistled. "Damn, something pissed Tsunade-hime off, that's for sure."

"Do you think she refused Orochimaru then?" Shizune asked, voice hopeful.

"Your guess is as good as mine. Either way, it's even more imperative that we find her, and fast. Where would they have gone?"

"I don't—oh, Tonton!"

The small pig Shizune had been carrying around jumped out of her arms with a squeal and sniffed at a green haori with the kanji for 'gamble' imprinted in a red circle that was on the ground. She – Naruto guessed by the pearl necklace _(Why does a pig need a necklace?_ he wondered) – made another sound and gestured to the north. "Seems like we have a heading," Jiraiya said. "Lead the way!"

They took off again, Shizune grabbing Tonton and leading them by the gestures and squeals the pig made. Tonton's nose led them to a field of grass on the outskirts of town, sparse rocks decorating the landscape. Moving around the area trading and evading blows were an ample-bosomed woman with blonde hair and a grey-haired male clad in dark purple; observing them from a distance was a tall, lithe figure with straight, waist-length dark hair. "This is better than I expected," Jiraiya commented.

"We need to help her." Shizune's voice held a lilt of panic, a register Naruto vaguely recognized from when Utakata started to freak out about something Yagura-related.

"Agreed. And we need to go _now_," Jiraiya added, disappearing from view as the grey-haired shinobi was preparing to impale an immobile Tsunade with a kunai. Shizune and the two Jinchūriki performed their own Body Flickers, appearing in the midst of a cloud of smoke created by Jiraiya. When the haze cleared, the point of the kunai was embedded in a small shield of sand that had formed in front of Tsunade.

The grey-haired male let out a noise of detached curiosity. "Hm? Well this is a new development." Sand slithered up the kunai and attempted to engulf his arm, but he jumped backwards before it could get a grip. "Oh Gaara-kun, you're so eager."

Three heads turned to look at the Suna-nin. "Gaara, you know this guy?" Naruto asked.

"No."

"Ah, Gaara-kun, your memory is so short," lamented the older shinobi. "We were just in the Chūnin Exams together."

Gaara's expression remained unchanged. "I am only interested in killing the strong to prove my existence. You must therefore be weak."

The grey-haired shinobi tilted his head down so that the sunlight flashed against his glasses, momentarily hiding his eyes. "Is that what you think?"

"Move!" Jiraiya shouted, grabbing Tsunade and backpedaling with Shizune. Naruto was so startled by the command that he wasn't able to react in time, and he stood transfixed as the older male closed the distance between himself and Gaara in the blink of an eye, slamming a palm coated in blue chakra into the redhead's shoulder.

Right where Uchiha Sasuke's hand had pierced his skin a month ago.

Gaara screamed as his muscles, ligaments, and nerves were shredded by medical chakra. Sand exploded from the gourd on his back and forced his assailant away. _"Pain!"_ he shrieked. _"Mother, why is there pain?!"_

"Oh, Gaara-kun," sibilated the pale man, watching from afar. His voice was smooth and silky, a touch of venomous sadism tinging every word. "You've never known what it's like to be hurt until now. First Sasuke-kun, now Kabuto…how the mighty have fallen."

"Orochimaru, you son of a bitch!" Jiraiya shouted. "Is this all a game to you? Trying to manipulate an insane Jinchūriki to enact your machinations?"

"Jiraiya, you always think so small. Do you even know what my plans are?"

"I imagine it has something to do with destroying Konoha. You're not exactly original. In any case, I'm not giving you a chance to pull off whatever you're scheming. Shizune, see if you can get Tsunade functional. Naruto, deal with Gaara, then focus on protecting Tsunade." The Sannin's voice carried an authority that the blond couldn't ignore, so he merely nodded his understanding.

"Jiraiya, you'll fail to protect everyone just as you've failed at everything else," Orochimaru hissed. "Kabuto, remove the bandages."

Jiraiya rushed forward to engage his old teammate, but the grey-haired shinobi swiped a streak of blood along Orochimaru's arm and summoned two huge snakes that barred his path. One of them dove for the Sannin with jaws open wide while the second targeted the remaining quartet, Kabuto atop its head.

Naruto's head swiveled between the pair of women and the screaming Gaara. _I can't protect all of them! What do I do?_

His hands flipped through seals before his mind could truly process his train of thought. Roiling chakra built in his chest and shot from his lips in a burst of flames. Kabuto jumped off his perch and landed near where Shizune and Tsunade were before the Great Fireball struck the massive serpent's head. The snake let out a long hiss of pain and thrashed wildly, blinded by the conflagration.

Naruto took the moment of distraction to run over to Gaara. Hesitation caused him pause at the sand floating around the redhead in sporadic patterns, but just as he'd done during the other boy's panic attack, he pushed it down and warily stepped through the silica. It didn't react to his presence. _Maybe that's a good sign?_ "Gaara!" he yelled over the boy's screams. "You need to calm down! I need your help!"

_"Pain!"_ he shrieked. "Mother, why—why do I feel this pain again?!"

It was almost instinctive at this point for him to place his hands upon the Suna-nin's shoulders, taking care to be gentle with the one Kabuto had injured. Gaara twitched violently, wild teal eyes focusing on the blond. "Injuries can be healed," Naruto told him, making sure the other Jinchūriki heard him. "Shizune healed me, she can heal you, too! You don't have to be in pain anymore, but you need to let me help you. I _want_ to help you!"

Gaara continued to stare at him, but he'd finally stopped screaming and now seemed to be absorbing the blond's words with a rapt attention that had been absent in their previous interactions. Naruto could hear the seconds tick by in his head, each one as loud as a drumbeat, and when enough time had passed that he felt he couldn't wait any longer, he positioned himself beside the Suna-nin and threw the boy's good arm over his shoulder. To his surprise, the redhead resisted neither his aid nor his touch. "C'mon, let's get you help."

Yashamaru's words from long ago came back to him. "Help…this pain can be healed, but you cannot help me."

The blond grinned. "Watch me. But let's do this one step at a time."

With some effort, Naruto managed to get the Ichibi Jinchūriki to the prostrate blonde woman Jiraiya had instructed him to protect, dropping the Suna-nin beside her. Her honey eyes were locked in a vacant stare, and she didn't react to the presence of the two demon containers. "Hey, uh, Tsunade, right? I need you to heal Gaara." She remained unresponsive, and Naruto opened his mouth to try again, but lost his train of thought when Shizune suddenly landed in a heap beside them with a groan.

"Well, well, only one line of defense left."

He looked up to find Kabuto bearing down on them, a wicked grin on his face. "Tsunade, you've gotta help Gaara and Shizune! _Please._ They need you!"

Kabuto's chakra-coated hand speared towards him. For a second, Naruto saw Rōshi's purple-sleeved arm extending towards him in a strike, and his body reacted by ducking beneath the limb. Now within the older shinobi's guard, Naruto punched his stomach and then slid around his back and shoved a kunai into his side. The blond paused for a moment to catch his breath, the exhilaration of successfully applying Rōshi's training in a real fight overwhelming him.

Then Kabuto spun around and kicked him in the side, sending him skidding across the ground. _Damn it,_ Naruto cursed. _Stupid! _He could hear Rōshi berating him for his lack of awareness, especially in the middle of a fight.

Doubly so since he was in over his head. _Again._

"You've got some talent," Kabuto said. His voice was nonchalant, carrying an undertone of detached curiosity. "It's strange that I haven't seen you before. You see, I've infiltrated every Chūnin Exam for the last eight years, which is how I know about Gaara-kun. And Konoha has a habit of showing off its prominent Genin, which the skills you've shown so far suggest you to be." He plucked the kunai from his side and spun it around in his hand. Naruto's attention was drawn to the wound he'd created, blue eyes widening as it closed before his eyes. "And yet you weren't in the Chūnin Exams, and you wear no hitae-ate. It's quite the mystery." The sunlight glinted off his glasses, and combined with the smirk, Naruto was reminded of a mad scientist he'd seen in a movie once. "I quite enjoy a good mystery."

He disappeared, and Naruto only had a moment to blink before pain lanced through his left arm.

"AHH!"

"I've severed the muscles and ligaments in your arm." Kabuto's tone was clinical, as if he hadn't just caused a spike of agony with nothing more than a simple swipe of his hand. Naruto's right hand clutched the opposite bicep in a vain effort to stem the pain, trying to hold on to an injury that had no external evidence. "Now…what will you do next?"

Naruto grit his teeth against the pain, shooting a glance backwards at the people he'd been assigned to protect. Tsunade still appeared catatonic, and Shizune and Gaara remained unmoved from where he'd left them, although the redhead appeared to be flexing one hand experimentally. _Damn it…_ He released his hold on his arm and forced his body into the best approximation of a defensive stance he could manage.

Kabuto seemed to take the blond's form as an invitation, and he blazed forward with hands aglow. Naruto couldn't even track the enemy's movements, choosing instead to blindly leverage his shorter stature by bending low to avoid the strike. He tried to sweep the older male's feet, but Kabuto jumped to avoid it and landed on his hands behind the blond, grabbing for the Jinchūriki's ankle with one hand. Naruto planted the palm of his good hand and leveraged his lower body into the air, performing an awkward one-handed handstand.

He stayed there for a moment, motionless and focused, and his chakra flowed into the earth and erected a four-foot wall between them. Then he righted himself and rushed over to Tsunade. "Hey, what's the matter with you? We need your help! Why aren't you doin' anything? Aren't you a Sannin?!"

"Tsunade has a crippling fear of blood." Kabuto's voice lilted over with a casual superiority that made Naruto feel like ice had been poured down his spine. The grey-haired male tutted. "How any self-respecting iryo-nin could be incapacitated so easily…it's just disgraceful."

"Shut up!" Naruto yelled. "You don't know anything about what she's been through!" He turned back to Tsunade, blue eyes wide and beseeching. "I don't know what's wrong, but you've gotta help us so we can help you! Jiraiya said you're gonna be the next Hokage, and the Hokage protects his people!" Nearby, Gaara's brow furrowed at the blond's passionate plea, teal eyes flickering between Jinchūriki and Sannin. "That's why I'm gonna fight to protect you, because _I'm _gonna be Hokage someday, believe it!"

Tsunade's hollow honey eyes rose to see the blond for the first time, a vaguely familiar expression in her gaze. Naruto wondered why he recognized it, but was pulled from his musing by a slow, repeated clap before he could place it. "Such a moving speech," Kabuto offered sarcastically. "But really, did you expect that to accomplish anything? It takes more than cheerleading to move past the traumas Tsunade has been through."

"I know that!" Naruto shot back. He couldn't tell if the reason his body was shaking was anger, fear, or indignation. "People have hated me my whole life! I've always been alone and…sad." It was the first time he'd ever voiced aloud (to an audience no less) that his life had been depressing, and it felt liberating in a way, the burden of carrying that undisclosed misery around for so many years finally given wings to fly free. "But I never gave up on trying to be better. To _feel _better.

"And eventually I found people who wanted to be around me. They helped me feel like I was important, and now it's like what life was like before doesn't matter, because they're here now! When you find people that give you purpose, that's when you become strong!"

Tsunade's haunted look suddenly made sense – it was the same way Utakata would look at him and see Yagura. The brunet had described it once as seeing the specter of the Mizukage looming where Naruto stood, and that the image was chilling, a stark reminder of what he'd lost.

But also what he was fighting for.

Knowing what he did now about the pair's friendship and the imminent threat that had driven the Kiri-nin to leave his home, he now understood Utakata's emotional state, and by association, he understood Tsunade's, just a little bit. He steeled himself back in a defensive position in front of the Sannin. "I'm strong enough to beat you. Bring it on!"

Kabuto smirked. "If you insist." He darted forward with another burst of speed, and Naruto used his (righteous) anger to produce a slew of Great Fireballs to impede the other male's progress. The purple-clad shinobi swerved through each burst of flames, and Naruto found he couldn't change tactics fast enough to avoid the hand aimed at his chest. _Shit!_

The medic's hand slammed into a small shield of sand that coalesced in front of the blond's heart. Kabuto straightened from his attack, a questioning hum on his lips. "Gaara-kun, how very unusual of you to defend someone else. Such vivacity…I can't say I expected you to interfere any further."

Naruto shot a surprised look at the redhead, whose hand was extended toward him. His face was void of expression, and the blond didn't think he looked any different than usual, but his actions felt…strange, even taking into account that Jiraiya had asked for his help. "Gaara…"

"I desire to face strong opponents," Gaara said, "to prove my own strength." His brow furrowed. "Until recently, I was undefeated. Uchiha Sasuke…Naruto…I wish to understand where their strength comes from, what allows them to have achieved what others could not. My own mine came from solitude, but that was insufficient. If finding someone who gives you purpose truly gives you strength, then I will protect these people to grow strong."

Sand poured out of the gourd on his back and reached for the older shinobi. Kabuto was forced to retreat as Naruto went over to the Ichibi Jinchūriki. "You saved me."

Gaara grunted, apparently done with any more long-winded proclamations. "We have a mission."

"Yeah, right."

"Well," came Kabuto's smooth voice, "it seems you have me outnumbered. I suppose I should even the odds. Shikon no Jutsu!"

From within a scroll in his hand emerged a pale human body, its limbs and neck hanging awkwardly, like a puppet with slack strings. It shambled towards the pair with surprising speed, fingers twisting through seals. Sand spread out to catch the person, but the earth between their feet rumbled and then split, and Gaara's broken concentration was evident in the way the silica collapsed.

Naruto quickly stabilized himself, used to how Rōshi had started to alter the terrain in their training, and caught the blade-wielding arm that was poised to stab Gaara through the eye. He pulled the arm down and brought his knee up into the man's face, crushing his nose with a sickening _crunch_ of cartilage.

The man's head snapped backwards and he fell with the motion, and the blond breathed a sigh of relief. But then the head straightened with a sort of forced jerk, and where blood should have been spewing from his broken nose, his face was clean. "Wha—?" Globules of mud spewed from the man's mouth, and Naruto was too stunned by the development to react.

Sand rose around him to absorb the incoming balls of earth, then shot forward, wrapped around the man's head, and compacted. Naruto turned wide blue eyes to Gaara, whose arm was again outstretched in his direction, hand in a fist. "That was—"

"Look."

Kabuto was within feet of Tsunade, arm extended in a killing blow. Naruto's mouth opened – to yell for her to move, to cast a jutsu, to do _something_ as he saw his mission come to an unfortunate end – and moved towards the Sannin even while he knew it was fruitless.

Then Tsunade stood and punched Kabuto so hard in the stomach that the man's body seemed to fold around her fist. Naruto gasped in awe, and in that breath, the power of the blonde woman's punch sent the silver-haired shinobi rocketing backwards. She appeared to crack her knuckles before announcing in a strong voice, "A medic helps the weak. Protects them. And so does the Hokage. With me in charge, there'll be no more senseless deaths. And as my first official act, I'm gonna kick your ass."

The Sannin brought her hand to her mouth before flipping through seals and slamming her palms on the ground. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

A massive white slug, easily as large as the Ichibi had been, appeared beneath the woman. The gastropod spewed a greenish liquid out of its mouth that ate into the skin of the fire-blinded snake Kabuto had summoned. It thrashed around as its body dissolved, letting out a loud, sibilant shriek as the purple-clad shinobi retreated back to where Jiraiya and Orochimaru were exchanging blows atop the second summoned serpent.

An oblong, white object roughly the size of an adult formed next to where Tsunade was standing atop the giant slug's head. It appeared to glide down the creature's back until it dropped to the earth behind the gastropod's body. "Hey, you two!" Tsunade shouted. "Watch over Shizune until I get back! That's an order! Katsuyu, let's do this!"

Naruto watched the Sannin charge into battle on her summons, awe nakedly displayed on his face. Where before Tsunade had seemed small and…pathetic, in a way…nothing like what he would have expected from the next Hokage, she was now strong, decisive, and commanding, the epitome of leadership. He felt…inspired. Despite his wish to be Hokage, he'd never seen one in action before, and now that he was finally able to witness one's true potential, it only made him covet the position more. _She's awesome!_

"Should we not be moving?"

Gaara's monotone question drew him from his reverie. "Uh, yeah, right!"

The redhead followed him as he rushed over to where Tsunade had directed them, finding a smaller version of the giant slug the Sannin had called Katsuyu on top of the unconscious Shizune. Short eye stalks turned to spy the two Jinchūriki as they approached. "If you place your hand on me, I can use Tsunade-sama's chakra to heal your injuries," she said in a musical voice.

Naruto turned to Gaara to see what the redhead thought and was greeted by the other boy's usual stoicism. Shrugging – because the likelihood that Tsunade had summoned a creature that would hurt them seemed unlikely – he placed his mobile hand against the gastropod and heaved an immediate sigh of relief as soothing chakra flowed through his body. In short order, the pain that had crippled his lame arm was gone, and he windmilled the limb experimentally. "That feels great, thanks!" He noticed Gaara lingering just out of his periphery, and finding the redhead's arm to still be hanging limply by his side, gestured for him to approach. "C'mere Gaara, she'll heal you up good as new."

A flash of hesitation crossed the redhead's features and then disappeared. "I…have not been healed before."

"All you gotta do is ask! C'mon, she already offered and everything."

With noticeable reticence, the Suna-nin stepped forward and slowly lifted a hand to the creature's slimy skin. The confused furrow of his eyebrows spoke volumes to his lack of understanding of the situation. After several seconds had passed, he opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened it again to admit, "People do not help me."

"They didn't help me, either, but that's all changed since I met Utakata-nii and Rōshi-oji. They'll help you, I'm sure of it. And I'm here to help you whenever you need it, believe it!"

Gaara stared at him for a long while, and for once, Naruto didn't feel like fidgeting beneath his intensity. Where before there had been a sort of hunger to the redhead's gaze, now it just seemed…placid. Maybe not at peace, but studious, as if the blond were a strange curio the Suna-nin was finally starting to figure out.

"So you're the brat Jiraiya won't shut up about."

Naruto whirled on the spot to find the pair of Sannin approaching them, Jiraiya cradling his ribs with one hand. Tsunade's face looked haggard, lined with slight wrinkles that hadn't been there earlier, but her honey-colored eyes were stern, and her arms were crossed over her ample bosom. Now that he was up close to her – and not in the midst of battle – her presence was…imposing. Where Jiraiya was easygoing, borderline irresponsible, Tsunade was all business, her tone brusque and unamused, and the blond felt an immediate respect for her. _She's like Rōshi-oji…_ "Uhh…"

"Yeah, Jiraiya trained you for sure," she commented dryly. "You're as eloquent as he is."

"It's only been a month!" the pair shouted simultaneously. Grumpily, the blond muttered, "And he's barely done anything."

Tsunade waved a dismissive hand in the air. "Whatever." Her features softened, just a little, and with a touch of genuine gratitude, she said, "Thank you for protecting Shizune and me from Orochimaru's lackey. It takes guts to stand up to someone that far above your skill level and keep fighting."

"Oh, well, no problem! Uzumaki Naruto keeps his promises! But, uh, where'd they go?"

"Crawled back to whatever hole they came out of," Jiraiya answered. "That's not the last we'll see of them, I guarantee it."

"We'll deal with them in due time," Tsunade asserted. "Meanwhile, I'm more curious about you." She took a step towards Naruto, stern expression back in place, and the same sliver of fear that had gripped the blond during the early months of training with Rōshi rolled down his spine. "See, I've known Jiraiya for a very, _very_ long time. He's got a lot of skills, including Katon and Doton, but he's never specialized in defensive jutsu. Flashy, that's his style.

"And as loathe as I am to admit it, Kabuto has a point. All active shinobi wear their hitae-ate in some fashion. That kid's got his," she continued, thumbing at Gaara, where the hourglass insignia of the Hidden Sand was inscribed on a metal plate sewn to the strap of his gourd. "Hell, even Jiraiya's got his stupid thing." The white-haired Sannin blustered at her choice of words, but she spoke over him. "And for someone who wants to be Hokage, that sort of pride is tantamount."

She grabbed the green jacket that they'd dropped on the ground upon arriving, reached into the pocket, withdrew a Leaf forehead protector, and tied it in place around her head. Then she leaned down so her face was in the blond's, and Naruto gulped at the proximity, the Sannin's authority a near and weighty presence. "If Jiraiya's barely taught you anything in a month, someone else has been teaching a kid who isn't even a Genin some pretty interesting skills. So, as your new Hokage, I'm ordering you to tell me who's been training you. Who are 'Utakata-nii' and 'Rōshi-oji'?"

Sweat beaded the blond's forehead. _Rōshi-oji's gonna kill me._

-l-l-l-

**Author's Note:** The seal Jiraiya uses to contain the Ichibi is the same as the one Orochimaru uses in canon during the Forest of Death (Five Elements Seal). If you're wondering, yes, I do have an explanation for how Gaara can use his abilities while sealed. It will be explained in a later chapter. Also, Jiraiya's use of Tsunade-hime vs. Tsunade is not a continuity error, it's merely based on circumstances/mood.


	8. The Irukauma's Resentment

_"Absolutely not."_

_"An' why not?" Rōshi spat. His words were fiery, laced with the heat of the lava he spewed from his mouth. The magnitude of his distaste over the decision combined with his reputation would have a lesser man cowering._

_Ōnoki was not that man._

_The Tsuchikage arched one thick, greying eyebrow at his son, bearing the brunt of his tantrum with the stoicism typical of the Hidden Rock's leaders. He hadn't knelt to the redhead's whims as a child, and he certainly wasn't going to cave to the 27-year-old who'd been absent for most of the last two decades. "I don't need to justify my decision to anyone, let alone you," he replied dismissively. _

_"Yeh jus' had a mad Bijū trampin' 'bout th' country," snarled the lava-user. "Yeh think yeh can jus' ignore that? No one's gonna 'preciate him knowin' th' Gobi was close ter killin' 'em." _

_Ōnoki laughed, a low, gruff chuckle. "And you will?"_

_"Better than he will here!"_

_"So he can follow in your footsteps?" The Tsuchikage was no longer amused, his compact form levitating above the chair he'd just been seated in. "Leave the village and just bally about the mountains like some juvenile—"_

_"I come when yeh call!" Rōshi shouted. "Jus' saved yer ass from th' Gobi, didn' I?"_

_"You're our weapon against such threats, it's your duty—"_

_"I'M YER SON, NOT SOME DOG ON A LEASH, YEH DAFT, OL'—"_

"ENOUGH!" _Ōnoki bellowed. His hands were close together, a tiny sphere of white light held between them. He took several deep breaths, and the outline of a cube that encased the light dissipated. Slowly, he forced himself back into his chair, a modicum of professionalism returning to his countenance. "You are our weapon, and you will adhere to our rules! This is not up for debate. The Jinchūriki will be trained here, within Iwa. Should you wish to provide guidance, this is where you'll do it. Otherwise, leave. You're good at that. I'll not have you influence the boy in following your lead."_

_Rōshi's fists were clenched so tightly that he was sure his fingernails had pierced his palms and drawn blood. "Fine!" he spat. "Yeh can have 'im. But it won' work. He'll follow my lead whether yeh like it or not, 'cause yeh got no idea how ter raise anyone, let alone a Jinchūriki."_

_He made sure to slam the door to the Tsuchikage's office on his way out, a thunderous sound that matched the rage pounding in his ears._

-l-l-l-

Rōshi held a hand up to his forehead and squinted into the distance against the harsh glare of the sun. A vast expanse of rocks, buttes, and mountains loomed as far as the eye could see, and for a moment, the redhead wished he was back in the Land of Fire, where the forests provided lush shade and a wash of colors that left one in awe. The Land of Earth was so boring in comparison, dry and empty and uninspiring.

_Mebbe we hate Konoha jus' 'cause they got it better._

He smirked at his own droll humor, though it was short-lived. The history of the rivalry between the Villages Hidden in Rock and Leaf was far too long to believe something so whimsical. It sounded like a theory Naruto, or even Utakata (on a good day), might bandy about to amuse themselves. Rōshi had lived too long to allow himself such trivial fantasies.

Although, as he trekked a dusty trail through the Land of Earth, he wondered if that was still true.

Time, he'd learned, had a way of changing things. Utakata would sometimes say that it was for the better, but the Iwa-nin's experiences had understandably soured him to such optimism. Decades of isolation, of watching people from so far away that they weren't aware of his presence, of sparse instances of trying to do the right thing and always failing because nothing could erode the stubbornness of Iwa's leadership (or his), had taught the Four-Tails' Jinchūriki not to trust in the passage of time.

And yet, only six months with the two younger Jinchūriki and Rōshi knew something had changed. It was a blip in the timeline of his life, and yet it was more time than he'd spent in the company of another person in the past 40 years…since he'd left the comfort of village life and sought refuge in the craggy mountains of the Land of Earth…

It was strange how living among people who simultaneously shared so many and yet so few similar characteristics could reveal so much he'd ignored for so long. Jinchūriki were inherently broken creatures; Mū had called him a weapon, something no longer human, and Rōshi – an impressionable five-year-old – had believed him.

The Hidden Sand Jinchūriki he'd fought during the Third Shinobi World War had been the same, from what he could tell in the little they'd interacted. Crazier than the lava-user, certainly, but that just made his brokenness all the more obvious. Utakata, for all his polite mannerisms, wasn't all that different, though it was certainly hidden better. Youth, Rōshi thought, probably helped temper things, but between the brunet's desperate connection to Yagura (and his mannerisms when he slipped) and the way he agreed with the Iwa-nin on certain topics, he was broken, too.

And then there was Han—

A scoff of disdain tickled his throat, and he forced himself to divert that thought towards the true outlier: Naruto.

The blond Jinchūriki was an anomaly among a set of tested data points, and after six months, Rōshi still didn't know how or why. His life had been filled with the same scorn and distrust the other Jinchūriki had faced, the same isolation and loneliness; hell, the boy was as stubborn and temperamental as the Iwa-nin on any given day.

But he was different. Somehow, within Naruto, the fragile nature of humanity had not shattered when bludgeoned by the curse of the Jinchūriki. Utakata saw that – had seen it way before Rōshi, if the Iwa-nin was being honest – and that made him…

Rōshi didn't know. There truly wasn't a word to describe the Kyūbi Jinchūriki. Resilient? That came in many forms. The redhead had lived by himself for four decades; _that _was resiliency.

But that had also served to isolate him further, bury him deeper in the cycle of hatred that festered within all Jinchūriki. _Almos' all_, he corrected mentally.

Naruto had…inspired, the redhead supposed…something in him. Working with the blond had breathed fresh life into a stale body. Rōshi had forgotten what it was like to actually help someone who wanted it despite the fact that it had only been a couple of years since the Tsuchikage's last ultimatum had quashed that feeling. Yes, Utakata had brought them together, and the redhead had even gotten around to training the brunet to be a better shinobi, but training Naruto, watching the stubborn Konoha native bounce back up every time the Iwa-nin had beaten him down, was like kindling a flame on a windy night. He'd lost count of the number of times he'd gone through that particular exercise during his exile, and as much patience and irritation as he'd burned through on those occasions, the end – warm comfort on a cold night – was always worth it.

It was early yet, but Naruto had the potential to be a great, roaring fire. And after the last six months, Rōshi wanted to be part of the fuel that kept it burning.

But to do so required they live, and with Akatsuki apparently on their tail, that was going to be a greater challenge than expected. Utakata, annoying as it was to admit, had a point. They needed to work together; standing alone would get them nowhere.

Forty years of isolation compared to the last six months of company, even through the frustrating moments, was evidence enough of that.

So now he was going to do the right thing…the thing he should have pushed harder for 23 years ago.

_There yeh are._

He crested a small ridge and stared down across another expanse of rocky earth that culminated in a massive gorge. Kiri no Tani – the Valley of Fog – was located in the far western region of the Land of Earth, and getting to it from Konoha had been nothing short of tedious. It had been called something else long ago, though the name had been lost once the thick, white haze that permeated the ravine had become commonplace enough to grant it its new moniker. The only reason Rōshi knew the name was because Kurotsuchi had brought it up one day years ago, excitedly asking if he'd ever visited during his time outside the Hidden Rock. It was apparently a thing of mythological wonder to the younger Iwa citizens who were lucky enough to be ignorant of the mystery it enshrouded.

Rōshi snorted at their foolishness; the Valley of Fog was yet another example of people taking for granted that which they didn't understand. _If they knew th' source o' all th' fog…_

He descended the cliff he'd crested, wary of any loose rubble in his path potentially giving away his position. While the Hidden Rock had the normal division of sensor-nin who could track shinobi by chakra in the traditional way, it also had plenty of Doton specialists who were so attuned to their element that they could detect the presence of nearby people just by their approach. It didn't have quite the same effect as actual sensing – there was no way to determine the strength of one's chakra or any similar metrics – but if position and movement were all one needed, earth-sensing was a powerful asset. It was rumored that Ōnoki had taken to flying with the Light-Weight Rock Technique out of paranoia of a similar sensing ability revealing his presence (or if traitors wished to track him). Rōshi was likely more adept at the ability than anyone his father would have deployed to Kiri no Tani, but there was little point in taking chances.

When he finally made it to flat ground, Rōshi kneeled and placed a palm to the dirt. Vibrations thundered up through the earth from the ravine's floor, a telltale sign of his target's constant, pent-up frustration. The redhead smirked to himself. _Same ol' same ol'._ He tried to ignore those movements and focused instead on the surrounding area, on everywhere that overlooked the Valley of Fog. That would be where the sentries were posted, either too afraid or too disgusted to get close to the monster contained within walls hundreds of feet deep.

_Jus' two o' yeh? Th' Tsuchikage's gettin' lazy._

Not that it mattered; it just made his job a bit easier.

He angled his heading towards the closer guard, stepping lightly and approaching at a slow, careful pace to avoid alerting the other shinobi to his presence. When he decided he was close enough that he could approach no further without additional precautions, he went through seals and then slammed one hand into the ground. _Doton: Shōgekiha no Jutsu._

The Earth Release: Shockwave Technique ripped through the underground, causing the earth to shake and rocks to tumble down the surrounding mountains. Earthquakes weren't uncommon in the Land of Earth, and one so far away from most villages – which were built with infrastructure to withstand smaller ones – wouldn't draw any undue attention.

Even from the guards of one of Iwa's most prized possessions.

The rumbling of falling rock and heaving of the ground disguised the redhead's footsteps as he sprinted towards the first chakra signature. The guard had his back to the redhead, far enough from the edge of the precipice he was on to avoid being hurtled into the ravine by an errant aftershock. Rōshi withdrew one of his curved kunai from its sheath and thrust it through the shinobi's heart with barely a thought.

The man's form sagged into mud, collapsing at the Jinchūriki's feet. Rōshi jumped as two hands emerged from the earth, reaching for his ankles to drag him underground. He grimaced at his haste, expelling a stream of lava into an incoming wind jutsu that cooled into a concave shield and then succumbed to gravity. Dark eyes glanced around to find the second guard standing on a precipice on the opposite side of the ravine, chakra-enhanced winds emanating from his direction. _Stupid,_ he berated himself, _yeh know better than ter leave th' ground._

Chakra flared to life around him and formed into dark obsidian. With a quick application of the Added-Weight Rock Technique, his mass multiplied, and he plummeted to a field of earthen spires that had been set up below him. Rock crumbled beneath his impact, causing clouds of dust to billow up and cover the area. He shed the obsidian armor, allowing it to fall away in bits and pieces. Once it was gone, he breathed deeply, glad to feel solid earth.

Like most Iwa-nin, Rōshi didn't like leaving the ground. Their strength typically came from the earth, and losing that advantage could be akin to a death sentence. For the redhead, that went even further; there was an intrinsic, instinctual feeling of belonging when he was on the ground, and disconnecting from it felt like leaving home. He could picture the roiling magma deep within the earth, and its constant heat instilled in him a sense of calm and purpose.

The earth shifted beneath his feet, and he sidestepped a spike of stone that erupted to impale him. Stalagmites continued to burst from the ground in rapid succession, bundled together to prevent Rōshi from avoiding them, but each one was preceded by a slight rumble that shook in his bones, and dodging them was a trifle.

All the while, the wind-user's position across the ravine remained unchanged. Dust was still obscuring him and the (apparent) sensor, and that was likely stopping the other shinobi from taking decisive action. Rōshi allowed himself a tut of disapproval. _Weak. Doton: Sazareishi._

Rock rose around both sentries, entrapping and then crushing them. Rōshi scowled as he felt the sensor-nin slip out of the Gravel technique's hold. _Yeh're annoyin'._

He spun on his heel, summoning rock to cover his fist, and punched the open maw of an incoming earthen dragon. Stone showered the area, and Rōshi waited patiently for the Iwa-nin's next move. He half-expected the other shinobi to run away, but the earth remained still.

The dust between them finally cleared, and Rōshi saw the face of his opponent for the first time. Brown eyes went wide at the sight of the redhead. "You're the Yonbi!"

The lava-user flared his chakra, and as the sensor tensed in expectation of an attack, the curved blade of the redhead's kunai erupted from the man's chest. "Jinchūriki," he corrected with muttered distaste as his earth clone withdrew the blade and allowed the corpse to collapse. That the people of the village he'd protected with his life – and his sacrifice – _still _couldn't see him as anything more than the Tailed Beast within was only one of the many reasons he'd left. He held out his hand for his weapon, and once the Tsuchi Bunshin had turned it over, it returned to a loose pile of dirt.

_An' now…_

Rōshi turned his attention to the Valley of Fog, eyeing it with a healthy dose of skepticism. When he'd left Naruto in Konoha, he'd known that the task ahead would be difficult. Hell, when Utakata had discussed his plan six months ago and Rōshi had merely arched an eyebrow at the boy's naivety and scoffed at his idealism, he'd known that this would be a massive undertaking. And that had been before he'd even become a willing participant of the Kiri-nin's plan. That he knew it had to be done didn't make it any easier.

Summoning chakra to his feet, the redhead stepped over the edge of the gorge and began walking down its sheer wall. As his descent deepened, the white mist that gave the valley its moniker grew thicker, and every step taken was more careful than the last. With his visibility continually diminishing, Rōshi tried brainstorming the right approach to take, but no ideas came to mind. He ran a few fingers through his beard, scratching idly at his chin in contemplation. _How'd I git sucked inter this mess, hm? What'll git 'im ter come with?_

All he had was the solitude all Jinchūriki were burdened with and the fact that there was no love lost with the Hidden Rock.

Those, at least, he had in common with Han.

_Screw it, _he groused internally. He'd spent the majority of his life taking action without a plan, including following Utakata to Konoha and sticking around to train Naruto; there was no reason this should go any differently.

His foot made contact with a horizontal surface, and Rōshi stepped down to the bottom of the ravine. He extended his arms before him, the surrounding fog so thick that he could barely see his hands before his face. A thin trickle of nearby flowing water made its way to his ears, the sound reminiscent of all those months watching Naruto train with Utakata in the Land of Fire. _Aye, I know what I got ter do, yeh don' need ter keep remindin' me. Damn brats…annoyin' me an' they ain't even here._

"So you've finally deigned to come to me."

The voice that greeted him was as deep as the Valley of Fog, animosity tangled in every syllable. Rōshi glanced around cautiously, dark eyes scrutinizing his surroundings even though the haze made it impossible. No vibrations shook the earth, and Rōshi scowled at the sensory deprivation. "I jus' want ter talk," he announced, arms held up to showcase his peaceful intent.

"Oh, is that all?" came the deep voice, cynicism lacing the rhetorical question. "I've never known you to be a big talker, Rōshi." With each word spoken, the mist thinned, and the lava-user turned his head in the direction of the voice.

Han was a giant of a man, even discounting Rōshi's diminutive frame, his massive form towering at least two heads over the Four-Tails' Jinchūriki. Scarlet-colored armor covered him from top to toe, including a kasa that shaded his pupil-less brown eyes – the only part of his face which was visible – from the elements. His right hand was tucked against his chest beneath a dark grey gi with torn sleeves and black trim, matching his dark grey pants. White smoke puffed out from an armored contraption on his back, adding to the haze pervading the Valley of Fog. He stood on the thin stream of water running through the ravine's floor, his stature as stiff and unyielding as the walls around them.

"Aye, yeh've got me there," Rōshi admitted warily. "But things're diff'rent now."

"How so?" Every word Han spoke was colored with dark skepticism. "Iwa's no different. I'm seen as nothing more than a child to be babysat and used when convenient, like a _commodity_._"_ Years of solitude had given Rōshi enough inherent apathy to not flinch at the taller Iwa-nin's growing anger, though his dark eyes narrowed with suspicion. "And you're going to stand there and tell me that two decades later, things are suddenly different? That _you've_ changed?"

The mist around them thickened once more, hiding the massive shinobi from view. _This ain't good._

"You, who represent the very essence of Iwa, kowtowing to the Tsuchikage's whims for Iwa's benefit at the expense of everyone else; you, who made a Jinchūriki from a child and sacrificed him to the Tsuchikage so that you could enjoy your _freedom_…that you've come here pretending your intentions are innocent is laughable. I've waited a long time for this, Rōshi…"

Rōshi's grimace was hidden by the mist, though the thick white haze couldn't disguise the footsteps that thundered through the ground. Instinct had the redhead crossing his arms over his chest and shielding his forearms with stone in a hasty bastardization of the Fist Rock Technique.

Han's black-gloved fist slammed into the shorter Iwa-nin, sending the redhead careening into the ravine wall behind him. Rōshi grunted at the impact, feeling rock dig uncomfortably into his back. He activated the Hiding in Rock Technique, melding into the wall just before the taller shinobi's other punch fractured the stone that had been bracing him. "RŌSHI!" bellowed the enraged Jinchūriki. "Come out and fight me, you coward!"

_Aye, yer pissed somethin' fierce… I knew this was a bad idea._

But he would get nowhere by running away, and he had come with a purpose. The Gobi Jinchūriki had combat experience and skill that dwarfed Utakata's, and if the brunet's plan had any chance of success, they needed Han.

Steam seeped through the cracks in the rock, and Rōshi armored himself in stone before propelling from his hiding spot in an aggressive blitz. Han effortlessly caught his fist, closing his fingers around it before the redhead could escape. He effortlessly lifted the smaller Iwa-nin into the air and then slammed him into the ground.

Rōshi was momentarily stunned by the attack, his stone armor cracking and falling apart at his feet. He expelled a small globule of lava, forcing the Gobi Jinchūriki to lean backwards to prevent his head from being broiled. Han retained his grip on the lava-user's fist, and the giant's movement brought him off the ground once more. Before the armored shinobi could react, the redhead planted both feet squarely in Han's chest, receiving a deep grunt for his effort.

Instead of releasing the lava-user, Han's grip tightened even more, and Rōshi winced as the bones in his hand were crushed. "Don't think I'll let you escape," Han growled.

Burning chakra spread along Rōshi's skin, turned into lava, and then solidified into black obsidian. Han's incoming fist struck the Yonbi Jinchūriki's midriff, but Rōshi's defense withstood the blow, and the redhead used the Added-Weight Rock Technique to increase his mass. Even Han's impressive strength couldn't keep up with the sudden burden, and he finally released the older Jinchūriki. Rōshi hit the ground and cratered it, reverting his mass back to its normal state and bounding to his feet. "Yōton: Shakugaryūgan no Jutsu!"

Spheres of flaming, molten rock erupted from his mouth. Han shifted through several defensive maneuvers, his strong limbs destroying each incoming projectile with ease. Rōshi expelled a stream of lava at the giant, but the Gobi Jinchūriki held up a gloved hand to deflect the liquid, sending molten droplets spraying out in all directions. With the heavy sound of something depressurizing, steam billowed out from beneath Han's armor. He immediately charged the smaller Iwa-nin with a speed that belied his size, and Rōshi again increased his mass, too encumbered by the obsidian armor to properly dodge.

"Funsuiken!"

The gloved fist that impacted his chest shattered the layer of protective black stone and sent the redhead rocketing backwards through the fog. A large boulder arrested his momentum, crumbling beneath him, and for several seconds, he lay in the rubble his collision had caused, obsidian chunks breaking off his body and joining the pile under him. _Nnn…guessin' that's th' Kairiki Musō… _he mused darkly.

After the end of the Third Shinobi World War, Ōnoki had taken some strange delight in regaling him with the great success Han – then a teenager, and still early in his tenure as a Jinchūriki – had had breaking through Konoha's forces with his Unrivalled Strength style of fighting, as if Rōshi cared about competing with his fellow Iwa-nin. The redhead hadn't seen the big deal – when he'd helped subdue the Gobi, the enormous irukauma's use of steam hadn't caused any great hindrance – and hearing about the Five-Tails' Jinchūriki's success when the lava-user had taken point against Suna _and_ beaten the One-Tail Jinchūriki hadn't impressed him.

But if this was what a true master of Futton could accomplish, the powers of an untamed Bijū in a trained human host, he had underestimated the power of Boil Release.

And Han.

Clambering to his feet caused him to grimace in pain. _I ain't been beat this bad since…trainin' with Mū?_

Thunder rippled through the ground, and Rōshi threw himself to the side as Han burst through the fog in a bull's rush. Waves of steam were expelled from one side of his armor, the burst of pressure pivoting his body to face the older Iwa-nin. For a moment, there was an opening in the swirling fog, and the Yonbi Jinchūriki saw unbridled hatred in the giant's pupil-less brown eyes; then, with a gesture, the haze was all-encompassing once more. "You can't dodge forever, Rōshi."

_I can so long as we're on th' ground._

Han may have been bigger, faster, and physically stronger, but he didn't fight like a shinobi of the Hidden Rock. Boil Release was a combination of Water and Fire Releases, so none of the earth-related training that Rōshi had gone through to master lava ninjutsu had been imparted to him.

Including earth-sensing.

More vibrations echoed through the ground as Han's footsteps reverberated his intentions, and Rōshi again dodged the linear assault, spinning around to launch another Scorching Steam Rock Technique at the giant's back.

"Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu!"

A flood formed of river water blew Rōshi off his feet from behind and carried him in the direction Han had charged. The redhead tumbled around in the deluge, twisting his fingers through familiar hand seals even while disoriented. _Doton: Doryūheki! Doton: Doryūkatsu!_

A thick rock wall erupted from the ground between the two Jinchūriki, hiding the older Rock shinobi and the incoming Great Waterfall Technique from Han's view. Then the earth split, and Rōshi's disorientation turned to relief as the flowing water fell into the yawning chasm, allowing him to make contact with the solid earth of the divide's wall and meld through it with the Underground Fish Projection Technique. He could feel the Five-Tails' Jinchūriki moving around above him, and with a quick application of chakra, reached up to grab the steam-user's armored feet.

In short order, only Han's head was visible aboveground, his brown eyes glaring daggers at the surfaced redhead. "Are yeh ready ter listen?"

Hot vapor washed over him, followed by a shower of rocks as the earth surrounding Han exploded at his expulsion of steam. He was momentarily grateful for the decades of training with lava – it gave him a resistance to the boiling steam that blanketed him and would have likely cooked a normal shinobi – but a booted foot planted itself in his solar plexus with all the force of a hefted cinderblock. Rōshi gasped for air as Han's weight drove him into the ground, the giant standing over him with one foot on his ribcage like a conquering hero. Each ragged breath felt like he was drowning, the air more water than oxygen.

"Do you feel it in your lungs, Rōshi? The weight…the _pressure_ of being unable to do _anything_ normal, like breathing? How it feels to be restricted for once?"

Han's deep voice was incensed, each question punctuated with a little more pressure on the redhead's chest. Rōshi couldn't tell if the giant's image was distorted from all the surrounding steam or his own blurring vision. His hand scrabbled in the dirt around him and found a rock. He threw it up in the direction of the armored shinobi's head, chakra turning it into a small wave of dirt.

Han was too close to dodge, and his head and shoulders were assaulted by the mass of earth. It was enough to force him off the older Iwa-nin's chest, and Rōshi gasped as the pressure on his lungs decreased. He flared his chakra, the heat of his Lava Armor burning off the surrounding fog, and the ability to breath became instantly noticeable. Instinct forced him to his feet, the training of a shinobi raised to ignore his pain and take advantage of any momentary weakness taking over, and he charged Han, lowering his shoulder and throwing his weight into the man's midriff.

Han fell backwards, still distracted by the redhead's unexpected dirt deluge, the ground cracking under his weight. Rōshi blazed through seals and slammed his open palms against the larger Iwa-nin's armored chest. "Doton: Chōkajūgan no Jutsu!"

His chakra spread throughout the Gobi Jinchūriki's body, increasing Han's weight exponentially. _"Rōshi…"_ he growled, the _chink_ of his armor as he tried to lift his arms echoing with the hatred in his voice. "What did you do to me?"

"Same thing I did ter th' Gobi," he replied, rising to his feet and wincing as his bones cracked. Adrenaline gone, he suddenly felt all of his 50 years, his body screaming after the beatdown Han had delivered. The giant's struggles became more pronounced, and Rōshi summoned lava from beneath the earth to flow around the taller Iwa-nin and harden into strong obsidian bands that further restricted his movement. Even still, the armored shinobi continued to move, and Rōshi had to admire his tenacity – or his hatred – to resist both the Ultra-Added-Weight Rock Technique and his restraints. Steam billowed out from beneath Han, but even that wasn't enough to propel him into an upright position. _"Now_ are yeh ready ter listen?"

Han managed to lift his head just enough for pupil-less brown eyes to momentarily shoot daggers at the redhead. "To whatever high and mighty speech you have?" His head fell back, cratering the ground beneath it. "Hardly."

"Yer wrong."

"Shocking."

"I came here ter help yeh, yeh daft idiot!" Rōshi snapped. The giant's sarcasm and obstinance was becoming a test of his thin patience. His respect for Utakata – and the tribulations the brunet had gone through to convince him to travel with him and keep him in Konoha despite his own stubbornness – rose. "If yeh'd shut up fer five minutes—"

"Help me? Like you _helped me_ after I became a Jinchūriki? Like you _helped me_ when Iwa taught me to be a weapon? Or are you referring to how you helped yourself?"

Rōshi heaved a sigh laden with regret and settled into a cross-legged position on the ground. "Aye, I made a mistake. An' I ain't askin' yeh ter fergive me. When I asked ter train yeh, Ōnoki tol' me I had ter stay in Iwa ter do it, an' I wasn' gonna let 'im have control o' me again. But th' past's th' past, an' I ain't here ter fix it."

"Then why exactly are you here?"

"Th' Jinchūriki're bein' targeted—"

Han barked a laugh. "Tell me something I don't know."

"It's Akatsuki."

The Gobi Jinchūriki was silent for moment before skeptically posing, "The group Deidara joined?"

_Deidara?_ The name was vaguely familiar, though the redhead couldn't think of why. He shrugged, and when he realized Han couldn't see him, said, "I s'pose. Ōnoki's used 'em afore."

Han scoffed. "So you came to warn me about a group of terrorists. Great. I'll keep an eye out."

"This ain't a joke!"

"No? You think Akatsuki can beat a Jinchūriki, after the wars we've fought?"

"Yeh ever fight a Kage?" Rōshi argued. "I'm guessin' not, since Ōnoki an' yeh are both still 'round."

"Are you comparing Akatsuki to a Kage?" Han snorted. _"Please. _They recruited Deidara. If they're getting help from Akatsuchi's pathetic excuse of a friend, then they aren't the threat you make them out to be."

"Ev'ry team's got a weakest player, even th' Bijū. An' if yeh think th' Ichibi's nothin' ter sneeze at, yer wrong. 'Cause o' th' two o' us, I'm th' only one who's fought it. 'Sides, yeh jus' lost ter me."

"You got lucky," Han growled.

"Aye, an' luck's all they need ter git yeh. Mebbe yeh think yeh can take 'em, but they think they can take yeh, an' that means that we got ter take 'em seriously."

"We? You're proposing, what, an alliance to defeat Akatsuki? Between you and me?"

"Somethin' like that."

Han laughed, a deep, cynical sound. Rōshi wondered if he had sounded as skeptical when Utakata had proposed the same thing six months ago. "You've never cared to protect me before," Han said, a sneer in his voice, "and I—"

"I already tol' yeh, I _tried!_" Rōshi shouted in frustration. He was on his feet now, face approaching the color of his hair as his short temper spiked. "Yeh've met that ol' bastard Ōnoki—"

"Spent more time with him than you, that's for sure!" Han spat.

"—an' yeh still think anythin' I said woulda got yeh put under me?!" the redhead bellowed. "I got no power in Iwa! I'm a weapon, same as yeh! Yeh think bein' th' son o' th' Tsuchikage means _anythin'_ compared ter bein' a Jinchūriki? It's all _shit!_ Iwa, Ōnoki, our lives, our _duty!_ We git nothin' 'cause no one gives a shit!

"Aye, so I failed ter protect yeh afore. I tried ter save myself, an' look how I ended up. Yeh think yeh woulda been any diff'rent if I'd been there, eh? Yer still a Jinchūriki, yeh still woulda been alone an' hated an' pissed! But now we got ter move on ter what we can control."

Silence reigned as Rōshi's diatribe ended, the redhead heaving angry breaths of humid air. The redhead wasn't even sure if what he'd said had made any sense, or that it would sway Han to their side; it was had been a rant to air his own grievances, the boiling rage that had consumed him since he was a child, and it had felt…good. Too many decades in isolation had allowed anger – at his status, at the Tsuchikages (both Second and Third), at the Yonbi, at _life_ – to fester with no outlet.

And Han understood all that…knew the rage, the hatred, the feeling of being used by a village which didn't respect him just because he'd been a convenient tool to stick with a dangerous, misunderstood creature.

At least, he _should_ have. It was becoming more apparent that Han had channeled all his rage into hating Rōshi, and to a far greater extent than the redhead had anticipated. His current injuries were a testament to that.

"What do you want from me, Rōshi?" Han finally asked. His deep voice was controlled, his anger carefully stuffed within his armor. Rōshi wasn't sure whether to interpret that as a good thing or not.

"I want yeh ter come with me."

"I can't go anywhere right now."

Rōshi hobbled over to Han and laid a hand upon the obsidian bands tying him to the earth. With a quick manipulation of chakra, the stone fractured and broke away. Moving to touch the giant's armor, another burst of chakra released the Gobi Jinchūriki from the Ultra-Added-Weight Rock Technique. He stepped back as the steam-user rose to his feet, his impressive height towering over the redhead's short frame and making him feel suddenly inadequate. "Yer free now."

Han scoffed. "Hardly. A free man needs no guards. We don't all have the luxury of going wherever we want on a whim."

"I took care o' yer guards." Han stared at him, and if any more than his eyes were visible, Rōshi might have called the expression shocked. "Aye, yer welcome. Yer as free as I am now, if yeh want ter call it that," he added dryly. Digging into a pocket, he produced the river rock engraved with the kanji for 'four'. "I got one o' these, too, yeh know. It ain't like I'm above it all."

Han's hand was once more buried beneath his gi; from the movement of the cloth, it seemed like he was fidgeting with his own stone. "And yet," the giant noted in a clipped tone, "you freely admit to killing your fellow shinobi, and you fear no consequence."

Rōshi snorted. "If that's how yeh see 'em. I don'. Mebbe there's other shinobi who're more my fellows. Got ter take risks ter reap rewards, eh?"

"What, you think I'm more like you than they are?"

The redhead's face grew solemn. "Yer a Jinchūriki, ain't yeh? That's more'n most can say." And as strange as it sounded, Rōshi trusted Han more than the other Jinchūriki. Utakata, for as well-meaning and polite as he appeared, had greater priorities than the lava-user, namely the safety of the Mizukage. And Naruto's naivety, his unwavering devotion to his village, only accentuated his youth and inexperience, meaning Rōshi had no appreciation for his judgment.

But Han was an Iwa-nin. He knew how the Hidden Rock operated, knew the Tsuchikage's temperament and games, shared the country's history, and had grown up under the same thumb the redhead had. As much as the bigger Jinchūriki would hate to admit it, their situations weren't actually all that different.

_They_ weren't all that different.

That Rōshi could take Ōnoki in a fight, and that his tendency towards disobedience had led the Tsuchikage to rein in the Gobi Jinchūriki tighter than he had his own son, were about the only true variations that immediately came to mind.

Han stared at him for a long moment, as if trying to discern something from the older Iwa-nin's serious expression. Rōshi waited with more patience than he ever would have considered himself capable of, hyper-aware of the fact that the major obstacle he'd feared in trying to recruit Han – that the Gobi Jinchūriki would try to kill him outright without hearing him out – had been cleared. Rushing the armored shinobi now would only risk driving him further away.

"Fine." The giant's arms were crossed over his chest in a show of (petulant) defiance. It reminded the redhead a little of Naruto, and the corner of his mouth twitched with humor. "Let's see what freedom feels like."

-l-l-l-

A distinct sense of nostalgia followed Rōshi as the pair of Jinchūriki traveled out of the Valley of Fog and began the arduous journey back to Konoha. This time, though, he was the injured one slowing their pace to a crawl, not Utakata, and Han had taken his place as the skeptical, dour Iwa-nin unwilling to help.

And, for once, he was starting to feel like he needed it. Without the adrenaline from his fight, his body was protesting every movement he made, the power of Han's strikes finally becoming apparent. He wasn't skilled in the medical field, but it didn't take a genius to figure out that the larger Iwa-nin had done a thorough job of bruising or breaking his hand, shoulders, back, chest, and ribs. One hand clutched his aching side in an effort to quell the pain throbbing there as they ascended another mountainous crest, a grimace stretching his lips. _This better've been worth it._

"Where are we going?"

The gruff answer came through gritted teeth. "Konoha."

"It sounds like you're in pain."

"Aye, yeh did a number on me."

"Good." Han's deep voice sounded just a little pleased.

"…So yer not gonna offer ter help me."

"Why should I? You can handle yourself."

Rōshi sighed, though he had to admit that he hadn't really expected the younger Jinchūriki to make any altruistic gestures. Automatically, _how do you expect to work together if you won't help me? _rose to the tip of his tongue, but he bit it down. He would make no in-roads with Han by asking for help, and getting the Gobi Jinchūriki to stay was now priority number one.

He summoned chakra to his injured hand, drawing dirt to his palm and manipulating it into an earthen glove; with a thought, it hardened to stone. _It'll have ter do,_ he mused, admiring his handiwork. While it didn't ease his pain, the makeshift cast would at least prevent him from doing further damage to his crushed fingers and wrist. It was a pity he couldn't do the same for the rest of his body, though the image of trying to make it back to Konoha while partially encased in a rock body cast caused him to snort in amusement.

Han's armor clinked as he turned to the redhead. "What's so funny?"

"Nothin'."

The giant scoffed. "Right. Your life is so good that you find _walking_ amusing."

"Sometimes yeh got ter 'preciate irony."

"Like the irony of going to the village of our sworn enemy? That kind of irony?"

Rōshi shrugged, regretting the gesture when his shoulder throbbed in protest. "Aye, somethin' like that."

"And why exactly are we going to Konoha?"

"'Cause that's where our base is."

"Our?" The disbelief in his voice was nearly a tangible thing. "You're working with someone? You're working with _Konoha?_"

"Don' be daft. Konoha'd kill me afore workin' with me. Th' Rokubi Jinchūriki an' I are trainin' th' Kyūbi Jinchūriki."

There was a long moment of silence while Han seemed to process what the older Iwa-nin had just said. Rōshi considered how to elaborate on his statement, knowing it was a gross oversimplification of the last six months, but before he could, Han's giant hand had wrapped around his throat and hoisted him into the air. "You'll train another Jinchūriki, an _enemy Jinchūriki,_" he thundered, "before you'll train me? What are you playing at, Rōshi?"

"It's been twenty years," rasped the redhead, "an' I already tol' yeh it wasn' my call. I'm here now ter give yeh somethin' better than yeh've got. Yeh think things can't change?"

"Things, yes. You, no."

"I came fer yeh, didn' I?"

Han's anger slowly appeared to subside as he digested the redhead's words. He lowered the aloft Jinchūriki, taking a step back when Rōshi's feet were again on solid ground. When he spoke, his voice had returned to a measured baritone, though a trace of hostility still remained. "What's the point of all this?"

"Eh?"

"You're going to tell me that you've been in Konoha, working with other Jinchūriki, all to, what, _rescue me_ from Iwa twenty years too late?"

"It's all part o' th' plan."

"Against Akatsuki, right," intoned the armored shinobi. Skepticism dripped from every word. "Your plan sounds brilliant."

"It ain't my plan."

"Well that changes everything," came the sarcastic response. "I'm reassured knowing that you're not the mastermind of this nonsense. Your last plan that involved me worked out so well."

"Give it a rest," Rōshi grumbled. "I did what I was tol', no diff'rent than yeh. Yeh think I _like_ followin' th' Tsuchikage's orders?"

Han snorted. Rōshi's dark eyes flickered over to him, and for a moment, he wished the steam-user's face was visible; he sounded almost bemused by the suggestion, and any confirmation of their shared humor would be a boon to swaying Han to their side. "I suppose not." They walked in silence for several minutes, Rōshi trying to straighten his staggering in order to keep up with the younger Jinchūriki's giant strides, when the armored shinobi suddenly cleared his throat. "What happened that day? The day I was…"

"When yeh were sealed?" Han made a noise of confirmation, though to Rōshi's trained ears, it sounded like he was trying to feign disinterest. "Yeh don' remember?"

"It was a busy day over twenty years ago!" Han snapped. "I'd be surprised if you remembered—"

"Aye, I remember," he interjected. "Yeh don' ferget somethin' like that…"

_His pocket shook, an intense heat radiating from within. Rōshi dug his hand into his pocket, pulling out the river rock engraved with his call sign. The kanji was glowing a bright reddish-orange, and it vibrated within his clenched fingers. _Now what?

_He exited his hideout in the southern mountain range of the Land of Earth, looking northeast toward the Hidden Rock, but a thundering through the earth drew his attention directly east. A cloud of dust on the horizon greeted him, a feeling of dread coiling in his stomach at the sight. Ōnoki had been claiming since the end of the Second Shinobi World War that another conflict was on the horizon, but the redhead hadn't expected something so literal to come knocking on his doorstep._

_He took off in the direction of the approaching dust cloud, sprinting across the wasteland to intercept the threat. Much quicker than he expected, apparently because the imminent threat was covering more ground than him, the enemy was revealed._

_Several hundred feet tall and twice as long, a horse-like creature covered in snow-white fur galloped towards him. Five elegant tails whipped behind it as its hooves pounded a thunderous frenzy across the Land of Earth. Its head was the only non-equine feature, its oblong shape more reminiscent of a sea creature, four long protrusions spiking from the back of its head like reverse horns. Despite having never seen it before, it was obvious what he was facing, and why he'd been called._

Th' Gobi…

_He blazed through hand seals and slammed his palms against the ground. _Doton: Retsudo Tenshō!

_The land ruptured, blocks of solid earth rising and falling at random as the Tearing Earth Turning Palm technique took effect, creating a massive shift in the landscape. Rōshi hoped it would delay the massive Bijū, giving him a moment to come up with a strategy._

_The Five-Tails leaped over it, and Rōshi craned his neck to watch the Tailed Beast – almost majestic in midair – avoid every pitfall of his altered landscape. When it landed, the earth fell away beneath its hooves, creating a massive pit which appeared to contain the creature._

"_So you got my message, eh?"_

_Dark eyes turned to the sky, where the diminutive form of the Tsuchikage floated above him. Rōshi scowled, watching his father bring his hands together and form a spark of white chakra that quickly expanded into a semi-translucent cube. "Are yeh _mad?!_" he hollered._

"_Drastic times!" Ōnoki yelled back. "Jinton: Genkai Hakuri no Jutsu!"_

_Rōshi bounded out of range of the disintegration technique as heavy, hot, white smoke – like boiling fog – rolled across the area. A rush of wind sent the white haze rushing past him, and when he turned around, the Gobi was in the air again, head lowered to ram Ōnoki. The tiny Tsuchikage held his ground, spitting earth over his fist and hardening it to stone before punching the Five-Tails._

_It buckled under the blow, head practically bowed in deference to the strength of the Third Earth Shadow. As its body fell, its tails came up and struck the unsuspecting Iwa-nin, sending Ōnoki hurtling through the air. The Tsuchikage righted himself and roared, "Are you gonna just stand there or are you gonna do something?!"_

"_Aye, I'm workin' on it! Yōton: Kakazan!"_

"Do you think I care about _how_ you fought the Gobi?" Han interrupted testily.

"Yeh wanted ter know 'bout that day," Rōshi argued.

"I want to know why it was _me,_" growled the armored shinobi. "You were there, you have to know the reason!"

_Aye, I wish I did._

The truth was, he had no idea where Han had come from, why he'd been chosen, or anything else associated with the larger Jinchūriki. He and Ōnoki had eventually contained the Gobi after a long battle in a wasteland marked by divots, uneven earthen features, cooling lava, and broken rock. The pair were holding their position atop the Five-Tails' elegant back, hands channeling chakra into the creature to keep it buckled under its own Chōkajūgan-affected mass, when the sealing team had finally begun their task. He hadn't seen the brown-haired waif of a child who had been turned into Iwa's newest weapon until the sealing had been completed, and even then, Han had remained blissfully unconscious, and Rōshi had been too tired to question anything.

In his 27 years of life to that point, the Gobi had been the hardest battle he'd fought by far; he hadn't even been able to resist when his brother had approached and thrown the redhead's arm over his shoulder in a gesture of support.

He shook off the memory. "Yeh still don' remember anythin' 'bout yer past?"

Han didn't immediately respond, and Rōshi gave up the conversation as lost. Between the redhead's isolation and the armored shinobi's resentment, that their dialogue had continued as amicably as it had was a feat unto itself. "Nothing relevant," Han finally said in a gruff voice.

"Mm."

They lapsed into silence after that, and the redhead spent his energy focusing on how to make his travel as physically painless as possible. He shot infrequent glances at the giant Jinchūriki beside him, trying to judge his companion's mood, but Han remained unreadable, his eyes fixed straight ahead. Rōshi let him be; Han needed time, and probably exposure to Naruto, and until they reached Konoha, he could only grant one of those.

So they traveled in silence, at an even more sedate pace than the one Rōshi had used to get from Konoha to the Valley of Fog, stopping to eat and rest as needed. When they reached the Land of Grass, Han's interest seemed to pique, his head swiveling around to take in the sights of the vast green expanses noticeably absent from the Land of Earth.

That interest only increased when the Land of Grass gave way to the Land of Fire, its towering trees and bright flora a captivating sight. Rōshi stayed silent in the wake of his fellow Iwa-nin's quiet awe, taking a deep breath of the temperate air and allowing clean forest air, not dust and desolation, to fill his pained lungs. _Ahh…_

"So this is where you've been staying, hm?" Han seemed to make an active effort of looking around, not bothering to disguise his intrigue. "Quaint."

"Aye, it's diff'rent than Iwa, that's fer sure." He continued moving deeper into the country. "C'mon, we ain't there yet."

It was still several more days before they reached the spot Rōshi had taken to training Naruto, a little outside of Konoha proper. Their campsite was still there, as empty as he'd left it; that Utakata hadn't returned probably wasn't something to be too concerned about. There was no telling how long it would take to locate the Nibi and Hachibi Jinchūriki in the Hidden Cloud, nor the Ichibi or Nanabi Jinchūriki, if his intention was to go for all available resources.

"Everything looks the same."

"Aye, there's no gettin' bearin's, that's fer sure."

"So…this is it then?"

"Aye. Now we wait."

"For what?"

"A Jinchūriki ter show up."

"And how long will that take?"

Rōshi shrugged. "If Naruto don' show soon, I'll go git 'im."

Han leaned against a tree with a huff of annoyance, arms crossed over his chest. "Whatever." The Yonbi Jinchūriki followed his example, sitting down at the base of a trunk and massaging his aches as a sense of exhaustion came over him. His eyes began to droop as the weight of his travels suddenly became too much.

Something wrapped around him, and dark eyes snapped open to find roots binding him to the tree trunk. Across from him, Han was struggling against his own bonds, but his strength seemed diminished. Rōshi's own limbs felt heavy, as if he'd used the Kajūgan on himself and couldn't handle the increased weight. _Genjutsu,_ he surmised with an annoyed grimace. _Th' soft shinobi art._ His head lolled backwards against the tree, dark eyes spying innumerable porcelain masks staring down at him. _ANBU…so yeh finally found us, eh?_

One of them was holding out his palm towards the pair of Iwa-nin. Rōshi felt a strange lethargy at the power emanating from this Konoha-nin, one which dragged at his body's core. "Do not resist, and you will not be harmed," spoke the ANBU. Lightning raced down from above, forming a collar of electricity around his neck. "You have no other recourse than to submit."

Rōshi took a moment to assess his surroundings before managing a lazy, rolling gesture with his shoulders, an attempt at a shrug. "Aye, if yeh say so."


End file.
